Of Origins and Enigmas

Have you ever taken the time to consider the origins of some of the biggest moments of your life?

It is interesting to consider that often these important moments have their start in a seemingly un-important unrelated event. Your Uncle decides to go on vacation with a pack of dwarves and comes home with a small, plain looking ring. Years later you find yourself risking life, limb and sanity to toss that ring back into the fires that forged it. If only your uncle had stayed home!

Ever since I finished reading The Lord of the Rings I have been thinking of how nice it would be if Frodo’s part of the story ended a little bit differently. I wanted to give Frodo a little more happiness and hope, in the form of romantic love. But was this even possible? Frodo was severely wounded on the quest, in spirit as well as in body. In order for Frodo to fall in love there would need to be a Hobbitess who on some level, could understand all that he had been through.

What seemingly unrelated events could lead to the development of a truly unique Hobbitess, with the life experiences that allow her to understand Frodo’s pain, and give her the power to win his love?

Enigma- a perplexing, baffling, or seemingly inexplicable matter, person, etc. –SYN. Mystery

To me this story is about numerous inexplicable matters and people. For each mystery solved several more may pop up in it’s place. Events and choices both large and small, each of them key elements of a greater whole.

Chapter One

Lila Gamwich sat on a stone deep in the woods and wept quietly. Lila and Marmadas had been married for eight years and still did not have a child to fill the cradle her mother had passed down to Lila, the day she was married. Lila could get pregnant, but then the pregnancy would end prematurely, breaking her heart every time. Lila had just recently lost yet another baby, and today was the first day she had been allowed a walk in the woods. She had been saving her tears for this solitary walk because she did not like to worry Marmadas with her tears.  So she told him she was going berry picking, but he knew differently of course. He could see the pain in her eyes, but he also knew it was better to let Lila mourn in her own way, so he let her go. But he did take note as to which direction she walked off so he could find her later if need be.

As Lila wept, she was unaware that there was another in the woods. Not so far off, a pair of keen and pointed ears heard Lila’s quiet sobs filled with heartbreak and loss. Large, violet, almond-shaped eyes turned in the direction of the sound. The eyes narrowed slightly; the brow above them furrowed in a frown of puzzlement and curiosity. Slowly a long and graceful leg takes a step forward, then the other. A tall, willowy figure makes its way silently towards the sound of gentle weeping, coming to a tiny clearing in the trees with a stone in the middle of it. There on the stone, violet eyes see the small form that is Lila sitting on the stone. The heart of the one watching feels Lila’s pain; pity and curiosity compel her to step into the clearing and make her presence known. "Little one, why do you weep so?"

Lila sprang to her feet. Before her stood the most beautiful person she had ever seen. A woman of tall and graceful form clad in a dark blue gown. Dark blond hair flowing in intricate braids framed pointed ears. Violet eyes gazed upon Lila with curiosity and concern. An Elf! Lila was speechless.

"Are you injured?" asked the elf.

"What? No! I mean... that is… I am not injured," said Lila recovering from her surprise.

"Then I ask again, little one.  Why do you weep so?"

"It is nothing. Please, I do apologize if I disturbed you in any way, my lady," replied Lila with as much dignity as she could muster.

The Elf was more curious than ever. "You are a halfling, are you not?"

"I am a Hobbit, yes."

"May I know your name?"

"I am Lila Gamwiche of the Bree Gamwiches at your service my lady." Lila curtseyed.

"Well met, Lila Gamwiche. I am Merenwen Sirfalas of Rivendell. I believe it is I who should apologize to you for intruding upon you. I heard your weeping and believed you to be in great pain. I thought I might be able to assist in some way."

Lila was quite amazed by this kindness of such a fair creature. "I thank you, Lady Merenwen Sirfalas, but what pains me I fear only time may heal." Lila lowered her face downward, looking at the ground to keep Merenwen from seeing the tears that welled up in her eyes, but Merenwen saw them anyway. A lock of her brown curly hair was plastered to Lila’s tear stained cheek. Lila snuffled and tried to hold back the tears.  But a quiet sob escaped her, and she wept anew. Merenwen stepped silently forward and knelt before Lila. From one sleeve Merenwen took a handkerchief and wiped away the tears from Lila’s cheeks. Lila looked up again in surprise.

Merenwen’s gaze held Lila’s. "Such weeping comes from a deeply felt pain. Tell me, Lila Gamwiche, what hurts you so?"

Lila was not able to hold back any longer. Looking into Merenwen’s clear eyes, Lila whispered, "I am unable to have a child!"

"I am well acquainted with the healing arts, Lila fair. Will you not tell me how it goes with you?"

Lila looked into the violet depths of Merenwen’s eyes and lost all resolve to continue her suffering alone. "I hardly know where to begin."

"I find the beginning is generally a good place. Tell me of your childhood. Were you healthy?"

"By Hobbit standards I was always rather slender, but that is not too terribly unusual. It comes from my being in part of the Took family."

Merenwen gave Lila a kind and encouraging smile. "Have you ever been seriously ill? Humans sometimes will have a fever that lasts for many days, have you ever experienced this?"

"Yes, when I was six years old. I had a very high fever for about three or four days. Mother says that no one was ever able to determine what my illness was, and everyone was really rather amazed that I recovered at all."

"Did you make a full recovery? Did you return to your former state of health?"

"I’m afraid I don’t remember all that much before that illness, but mother said that I was not the same child I had been before. Apparently before I had been an energetic child, afterwards I tended to be more reserved and quiet. Mother also told me that during my first six years I was seldom sick but from that time on I would and still do seem to catch everything that goes around."

Merenwen thought about what Lila had told her, while Lila waited anxiously. "I think I may be able to help you," said Merenwen thoughtfully.

With that Lila looked up again, her hazel eyes filled with disbelief. "Do you really think you can?"

Merenwen smiled, "Quite possibly, yes. But I make no promises to you.  Most of what I would like to try has been used only on Elvish woman, so I can not be sure that it will work for you. But it should be of no harm to you, so there should be no risk involved."

"Oh, I will try it. I think I would try anything," Said Lila in excitement. "Please tell me what you propose to do."

"Tell me Lila, are you aware that the elves are immortal?" Lila nodded her head.

"Then you may also be aware that elves rarely bear children. We guard these children as the most precious of gifts from the time they are conceived. Over time we have learned ways of insuring a child is born healthy. If you like I can attempt to use these methods to insure your bearing a child."

"I want to try it!" cried Lila. "I have nothing to lose. When can we start? What do we do first?"

Merenwen laughed. "Slow down and I shall tell you. The first thing we need to do is make a tonic. It is a restorative tonic, which should give you back some part of the health you enjoyed before you were sick as a child. This will take time.  I will want you to have been taking this tonic for about three months before you try to conceive again. Your being in good health is of the utmost importance. Do you understand?"

"I understand. I will do whatever you tell me to," swore Lila.

"Then I guess we had better get busy then.  We have herbs to gather."

Merenwen and Lila spent a pleasant afternoon chatting as they gathered herbs, learning a great deal about one another. Merenwen told Lila that she was from Rivendell, but had taken to wondering the wilds and exploring wherever her feet lead her. This is what had brought her to the woodlands around Bree. During these solitary wonderings Merenwen had often silently observed both Humans and Hobbits from a distance and had developed a fondness for Hobbits and their cheerful happy ways.

Lila told Merenwen about growing up in Brandy Hall, how self-conscious and shy she had become from being so much less hale and hearty than other Hobbits, and how she preferred the more secluded life she lived in Bree.

After the herbs were gathered, the two woman built a fire.  Then, filling Lila’s berry picking pail with water and the herbs, set this to steep for a time. By the time the tonic was finished, Lila and Merenwen had become good friends.

"Lila dear, your tonic is now finished and cool enough to carry home," said Merenwen after checking the concoction in its make shift cooking pot. "I want you to take this home and strain the herbs out, then add a half equal portion of wine to it and store it in a jar that seals well. The wine should make it more palatable, as well as help preserve it. Then starting tomorrow morning you should take two spoonfuls of this every morning."

"And that is all there is to do?" asked Lila

"For now it is.  I will be coming to visit on a regular basis to see how you are coming along. There will be time enough to discuss the next step when its time comes."

"Merenwen, how shall I ever thank you?" smiling warmly at her new friend.

"I hardly think a simple tonic is worth such gratitude," feeling Lila’s happiness spread to her.

"It is more than the tonic.  You have given me hope. More hope than I have been able to feel in a long time. No matter what happens I will be grateful for that and the fact that you tried to help."

Chapter Two

Marmadas and Lila had a small holding just outside the village of Bree. As a young lad, Marmadas had become the apprentice of his uncle who was a carpenter. Marmadas did well because he enjoyed working with his hands and being creative in his work. When his uncle passed away, Marmadas inherited his property, which included a small cottage and a good-sized workshop. Upon his marriage to Lila, he added a chicken house and a pen to keep a few goats, both at Lila’s insistence. Though Lila was of the wealthy well-to-do Brandybuck line she was well educated in how to run a household as economically as possible. In very little time Lila had turned the small, somewhat haphazard bachelor’s home into a warm cozy place to raise a family.

Marmadas had watched as his sad, heartbroken Lila left for her solitary ramble in the woods only to return several hours later, singing cheerfully. He was speechless when Lila told him whom she had met and all that had been said and done. Marmadas had spent a good portion of his life mixing with the big folk of Bree. But nothing in Marmadas’ life could have prepared him for the wonder of the elf Merenwen coming to the aid of his dear Lila. When Marmadas finally got over his shock, he became as hopeful as Lila that at last they would have the child Lila wanted so much. Marmadas did not care if they ever had children. He loved Lila so much, and that was enough for him. It grieved Marmadas greatly to see Lila get her hopes up only to have them dashed again with each pregnancy. Truth be told, Marmadas had long ago started hoping that soon Lila would give up on these dreams and find fulfillment in other areas of her life. But perhaps now Lila’s arms would finally be filled with the child she longed for.

Lila did as she was instructed. She took the tonic every morning without fail. She was rewarded for her diligence by feeling healthier than she ever had before. During the next three months Lila had Merenwen as a regular visitor, the two women discovering similar interest and just generally enjoying each other’s company.

It was towards the end of July that Lila and Merenwen had first met. Much of August and September they spent gathering herbs for future use in Merenwen’s plans for Lila. Merenwen had Marmadas build a small glass box to be set in a sunny window sill so that certain herbs that needed to be used fresh could be kept growing through the winter. October Lila was busy finishing the final preparations of winter stores, and seeing to it that winter clothes and bedding were all in good order. Lila went about this in a bit of fervor. She was anxious to go further with Merenwen’s plan and found that, if she kept busy, it was easier to wait.

The cool crisp days of October had left them, and November had arrived cold and damp. The sky overhead was steely gray, and a bitter wind blew through the trees around the little Gamwhiche home. This sort of weather made Lila nervous, as it always seemed to be soon followed with her coming down with a persistent cough that would usually not leave her until the warm days of spring. But this year was different. This year Lila was healthier than she had been since she was a small child.

Merenwen came to visit one blustery November day and with welcomed news. "Today, Lila we start the next part of my plan. We will be putting together a blend of herbs that you will drink as a tea once a day until you are once again with child."

Lila was crestfallen. "Is that it?"

Merenwen chuckled, "I am sorry to disappoint you, but I am afraid so. That is all there is, for today anyway."

"And what will this tea do?" asked Lila still feeling less than confident.

"What it needs to do. It is rather difficult to explain, and all that you really need to know is that it should work."

Lila heaved a sigh of resignation, "All right then, what do we need for this tea?"

Merenwen gave Lila a list of herbs; Lila fetched them from her herb pantry. There were things that Lila never would have dreamed of putting in an herbal tea, but when she tried to ask Merenwen about them, the Elf continued to be deliberately vague.

By the end of the afternoon, they had made up a rather large jar of the tea blend, and Lila was feeling a little dismayed. "Merenwen, you said I was to drink this tea until I was again with child. Just how long do you think it will take?"

"Did I say until you were with child? I am sorry, you will be drinking this for awhile afterwards as well," said Merenwen smiling serenely. "As for how quickly you will conceive, well that part I can’t be sure of. But I would imagine that largely depends on you and Marmadas."

"Oh, err, I see," Lila started to blush violently.

"But don’t fret if it takes a few months. A little additional time can be to your advantage. And as I said before, none of what we are doing should be harmful to you in anyway," said Merenwen reassuringly.

"I trust you. I must, considering you have told me so little; yet I continue to do exactly as you say. I will be patient."

And patient Lila was. She drank her tea, spent time with Marmadas, and waited all through the rest of November, then December, January, and February. At first she was giddy with anticipation. Lila and Marmadas went to Brandy Hall for the Yule Holiday. Lila had a hard time not telling her friend Esmeralda about Merenwen and her plan, but she had promised Merenwen to tell no one. All the same many of her relations noticed a healthy glow about Lila and speculated as to what it could be, but Lila resisted and said very little.

By the end of January, Lila was starting to lose her patience. Merenwen made regular visits and, using her Elvish gifts, had only to rest her hand on Lila’s belly to determine if Lila had yet conceived. It had come to the point that Lila knew by looking in Merenwen’s eyes what the answer would be before Merenwen could even speak. It was that look Lila was anticipating ready to be disappointed again when Merenwen had come to visit one day in February. It was a lovely day with lots of white puffy clouds in the sky, and the faintest hint of Spring could be felt and smelled in the air. Merenwen arrived early in the day, just when Lila was taking fresh baked bread out of the oven. Merenwen no longer bothered to knock when she came to visit but just let herself in.

"Good morning, Lila. How are you today?" greeted Merenwen.

"Good morning to you as well, Merenwen. I am well."

"You don’t sound as lively as you usually do. Is there anything wrong?" asked Merenwen, frowning slightly in concern.

"Now that you mention it, I have not been sleeping as well the last several days. I have been tossing and turning, and poor Marmadas has not been sleeping well either, as a result. I am about ready to get one of our little guest cots out to sleep on so that he at least can sleep comfortably; he has so much to do."

"Oh really, Lila," said Merenwen in exasperation. "Have you completely forgotten just what it is we are trying to do here?"

"No, of course I haven’t. It never leaves my mind for more than an instant."

"Then does it not occur to you that your troubles sleeping may very well have to do with this little project?"

Lila was taken aback. Her eyes went wide in surprise and blinked once or twice. "Actually, no it hadn’t. Do you think I might be…"

"Pregnant? You very well could be." Merenwen said with a warm smile on her face.

"But I don’t remember ever having sleeping problems with my other pregnancies?"

Merenwen’s smile took on the faintest hint of sadness. "You have never had a healthy pregnancy before either. Now, before we discuss this any further or get your hopes up too high, just let me check."

Merenwen sat down on a low stool that Marmadas had built for the comfort of their tall guest. Lila stood before Merenwen, as she had so many times before, and watched Merenwen’s face closely as she went through the usual routine. Merenwen rested one hand lightly on Lila’s belly; her violet eyes took on a somewhat vague and distant look. Just at the point at which Lila was expecting Merenwen’s eyes to look at her somewhat sadly, Merenwen’s face lit up like a bright summer afternoon. "Lila my dear, congratulations you are pregnant and with a very healthy and happy child."

Lila could feel the beat of her own heart quicken in excitement. "Are you certain?"

"Very much so."

"And my baby is healthy and happy? You can tell all of this? How?" Lila’s words came out in a rush.

Merenwen laughed joyfully. "Your child is healthy, and yes, even happy, or at least as happy as one so young and small can be."

Lila smiled as happy tears spilled down her cheeks. "This is such wonderful news! I can hardly believe it."

"Believe it, Lila. I think it is safe to say that by the end of September, you will have a little one of your own to fuss over. Now, before I forget there is something I need to give to you. Merenwen reached into her pocket and pulled out a chain that to Lila’s eyes was the brightest silver she had ever scene. Suspended from the chain was a pendent shaped into the form of an acorn with an oak leaf attached to its top. The detail was so exact that to Lila it looked to be a real acorn and leaf.

Merenwen opened the clasp on the chain and proceeded to place the necklace about Lila’s neck. "This is a very special necklace. It is made of mithrill, and with it I will be able to detect long before you will if you or your babe should be in danger. Hopefully that will allow enough time for me to get here and do what I can to keep you from losing this child, though I doubt that will be an issue this time."

Lila reached up and touched the necklace with trembling fingers. "It is so light and slightly warm to the touch, I will forget that it is there. What if the chain should break?"

"Let me assure you, there is very little in this world that will actually break that chain. Mithrill is remarkably strong for so light of a metal."

Lila was overcome by tears yet again. "How shall I ever thank you for all you have done for me?"

"You may thank me by not weeping so much." said Merenwen trying unsuccessfully to look stern.

Lila laughed, "I will try to do just that, though I can make you no promises."

THis was originally posted on September twenty-second in honor of Frodo's and Bilbo's birthday.

Chapter Three

When Marmadas received the news that his wife was once again with child, he was unable to share her enthusiasm. Marmadas had been through all of this too many times before, so it was difficult for him to believe that this pregnancy would be any different from the others, despite the fact that Lila was obviously feeling strong and hale.

Months passed Lila grew rounder and glowed a little more each day with the health of her pregnancy. To Marmadas, Lila’s happiness seemed to grow along with her belly, it wasn’t long before he too was able to set the old fears of Lila losing yet another child, for the more traditional fears of an expectant father, like would the baby have all of it’s fingers and toes.

Marmadas and Lila added making preparations for the arrival of their child to their usual daily tasks. For Lila this meant sitting and sewing tiny little garments, for Marmadas this meant finally pulling together the nursery to Lila’s requirements.

To Marmadas that spring and summer were the best he had ever known in his life. The weather its self was beautiful and fairly mild, he and Lila got into the habit of taking many of their meals outside. In the evenings they liked to go for walks. Merenwen was a frequent visitor to their home, coming as much for friendship as to keep a close eye on Lila. They were glorious days that seemed to slip by too quickly.

September came, the days were warm and dry, and the nights were chilly. The leaves on the trees took on the faintly dusty green hue, which foretold the changing of the seasons. One crisp, cool September day, as Lila was tying the last of the summer herbs up to dry on racks, the now familiar song of Merenwen reached Lila’s ears. Lila left her task to greet her friend.

"Well met Merenwen, my dear. "

"And you as well, Lila. Can you guess why I am here?" asked Merenwen

"Considering my back is quite sore today and I seem to be having regular aches about my belly, I would guess that it is near time I had this baby."

"And so right you are. Is everything ready?"

"Oh yes. Marmadas raised the tent just the other day. He set it up so as it might have enough room for you to walk comfortably in. There is a guest bed, towels, water, a fire laid and ready to light. Everything is just as we discussed it."

"Wonderful, then I think it would be best if you continue seeing to your herbs, being up and about will help speed this along. By early evening you shall have a new addition to your family."

"I can hardly wait. It will be such a relief to not be carrying this great weight around. Do you know I can’t reach my kitchen sink now? This" Said Lila gesturing at her large round tummy "gets in the way. No matter how I try to get around it nothing seems to work. Marmadas has been having to wash the dishes for me."

Merenwen smiled "And I am sure this is most upsetting for you. What do you do with yourself when you are not allowed to do the dishes?"

Lila rolled her eyes and smiled mischievously. "Oh it is dreadful. I am forced to sit down in my rocker and put my feet up. You can only imagine the hardship I suffer."

Merenwen and Lila looked at one another for a moment then burst out giggling.

The rest of the day passed most peacefully. Marmadas stayed in his workshop deciding it was best if he just stayed out of the way. Merenwen did what she could to ease Lila’s pains. Lila kept up with light chores to keep her occupied as the labor progressed. Just before sunset Lila and Merenwen retired to the tent. Marmadas took a seat on a bench near by, to smoke his pipe and wait for the arrival his child. Marmadas sat staring up bemused into the darkening sky. The first star of the evening had just made its twinkling appearance when from inside the tent he heard the surprisingly loud wailing of a newborn baby, his and Lila’s.

Marmadas stayed where he was his heart filled with joy as he listened to those cries, the murmur of female voices fussing over the little one. He waited patiently until Merenwen came out to him, smiled and said. "Would you like to come greet your daughter now?"

Marmadas could only stare up at her, as he let the meaning of what she had just said sink in. "A daughter? I have a daughter?"

"Yes, and a very healthy one too. I am sure you could hear her cries even out here."

"Is she is beautiful as her mother?"

"Why don’t you come inside and see for yourself."

Marmadas stood up and Merenwen laid a hand on his shoulder giving him a gentle nudge forward. Together they walked across the grass towards the soft glow coming from the opening of the tent. Marmadas stepped inside the tent, there in the pale candlelight, was Lila sitting up and looking radiant and beautiful, holding a small bundle in her arms. Marmadas went to her then leaned over to kiss his wife on the forehead. "Are you all right dear? Are you well?" Marmadas asked in a nervous voice.

Lila smiled, "I’m just fine dear, wonderful even. Now why don’t you sit down here" said Lila patting the side of the bed "and you can hold your little girl."

"Oh, I don’t know that I should." Said Marmadas sliding his hands behind his back.

"Marmadas!" Said Lila fixing him with a firm look "Sit down and introduce yourself to your daughter."

"But she is such a small thing, I am afraid I will break her."

"I assure you, dear, she will not break so easily." Marmadas set down and Lila carefully handed him the tiny little bundle. "Now just hold her on the length of your forearm so that her head rests on your elbow and you support her bottom with your hand." Marmadas did as he was instructed then let out a relieved breath, so far so good.

Very gently Marmadas pushed back the blanket a bit to get better look at his daughter’s face. With one trembling finger he touched the soft pink skin of his daughter’s cheek. He was mesmerized by the golden sheen of the feathery curls that covered her head. A gentle smile touched Marmadas’ face as is tiny daughter turned her head nuzzling his arm with her nose and showing off one fragile looking ear. For a moment all was silent as everyone sat basking in the warmth of the moment. Then Marmadas let out a sigh and a tear slid down his cheek. He turned to his wife and said, "My dear, she was well worth the wait." With that Lila leaned forward, put her arm around her husband, and kissed away his tear.

Marmadas suddenly looked from his wife to Merenwen. "Does my daughter have all of her fingers and toes? I mean does she have all of the little bits she needs?"

Merenwen and Lila both chuckled "Yes, Marmadas, " said Merenwen with a smile "your daughter has all she needs. Well everything except perhaps a name. Will you be naming her soon?"

Marmadas and Lila looked at one another and smiled. "Well actually," said Marmadas looking a bit sheepish, "she does have a name."

"Yes, and you were most helpful in our choosing, as well as everything else you have done," said Lila looking quite pleased.

"I am afraid I do not understand." Said Merenwen with that puzzled smile one gets when one know one is about to be pleasantly surprised.

"Merenwen do you recall having a conversation about Hobbit and Elvish naming customs?" asked Lila

"Yes, I seem to recall that aside for the differences in language both often choose names coming from nature. And there were names in the hobbit culture that came from outside the Shire, but in time the hobbits had forgotten their origin."

"Well, Marmadas and I talked about it, and we wanted to do something to show our appreciation for all you have done for us," said Lila

"I originally wanted to name her for Lila…" put in Marmadas

"And if we had a boy, I thought he should be named for his father…"

"Which I did not care for!"

"No more than I cared for naming a daughter after myself. But we are straying, dear."

"Keep me in suspense no longer," said Merenwen laughing now. "What have you named this poor child?"

"Well, after talking with you, I had the idea that we should give the baby an elvish name, the elvish version of our hobbit names." With this Marmadas got up and walked over to Merenwen with the baby.

And Lila said, "Merenwen Sirfalas may we present to you, Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche of Bree."

Merenwen took the tiny babe with the rather long name from Marmadas. Linwe barely filled Merenwen’s hands. "Welcome, Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche. The peace of Rivendell be with you."

~~~~~

Not so very far from Bree where Lila Gamwhiche labored to bring her child into the world, Primula Baggins lay back on the pillows that were piled high behind her and tried to catch her breath, as sweat trickled down the side of her face, further dampening her lustrous dark hair. "I don’t know how much longer I can keep at this, Asphodel." She gasped.

"You are doing just fine, little sister. I think one more good, solid push will have this baby out." Asphodel assured her younger sister as she applied a cooling cloth to Primula’s sweaty brow.

Primula gazed out the window that was directly opposite of her bed, drawing peace from watching the last traces of day light fade from the sky. Soon she felt the muscles of her swollen abdomen start to tighten into another contraction.

"Take a deep breath and push hard, Primula." Ordered Asphodel.

Primula reached deep within herself and found one last surge of strength, she then closed her eyes and gritting her teeth she pushed with all her might, feeling the child within her move outward, then suddenly she felt lighter.

"He’s here, Primula!" cried Asphodel joyfully. "You can stop pushing, little sister, your son is here!"

Unable to speak Primula lay back once more, gasping for air, a radiant but tired smile lighting up her face. Primula’s eyes were drawn to the window once more, as she looked out she saw the first star of the evening appear in the deep blue sky, just at the same moment she heard the first lusty wails of her new born son, Frodo.

Author's note-  I would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to read my story as well as those who have shown their support with kind reviews.  I encourage all of my readers to stop and introduce yourself in the reviews area, I would love to meet you.

Chapter Four

 Years passed and Linwe grew, as is the habit of all children. Marmadas and Lila were adoring parents, taking great delight in every new discovery Linwe made. They were properly convinced their daughter was the most beautiful child ever born. Linwe had skin like new cream, with just a hint of pale pink in her cheeks, hazel eyes that seemed to change their dominating color depending on her mood. Her hair was soft brown with streaks of gold entwined throughout her curls. There were few that would disagree that Linwe was a lovely child.

Most children are inquisitive creatures, and Linwe was no exception. What was rather unusual was how quickly she was able to absorb anything that her parents and Merenwen would teach her. From the time she could walk and talk, she was following one parent or the other curious about what they were doing, as well as why and how they were doing it. When Merenwen would visit, it was with relief that Lila and Marmadas would put Linwe in Merenwen’s care. Merenwen would take the small child for walks in the woods and tell her about the animals, plants, and trees that grew there. When other Hobbit children were still tucked safely away in their nurseries, Linwe was already helping with household tasks. Linwe learned what her mother could teach her on keeping a house, sewing and cooking being two tasks Linwe enjoyed. Marmadas enjoyed having his daughter visit his workshop. Often he would help her make a small toy but limited her use of the tools until she was older. Merenwen taught Linwe how to read, write, and speak some Elvish and to sing Elvish songs.

For the most part, Linwe had a sweet disposition. She rarely threw fits demanding to have her own way as other children might. But that is not to say she did not have her moments when she could be willful. There was the matter of Linwe’s hair. Most Hobbit girls wear their hair pulled back in some way in an effort to keep it neat. Linwe refused. Lila would braid her daughter’s hair, and within the hour Linwe’s hair would be free of the braids, once again a wild mass of curls. Since Linwe adored Merenwen, Lila tried plaiting Linwe’s hair in much the same way Merenwen wore her own hair. This lasted somewhat longer than anything else Lila had tried. Sometimes Linwe would even ask for these plaits, but eventually Linwe would always undo what her mother had done.

"Linwe, why in all of the Shire won’t you leave your hair as I have arranged it?" demanded an exasperated Lila.

Linwe calmly looked into her mother’s eyes and said in her best child’s serious voice, "Because, Mummy, my hair does not wish to be tied up so."

Lila was incredulous. "And why does your hair not wish to be tied up so?"

"My hair feels crowded and uncomfortable when it is braided and such," said Linwe, as though this made all the sense in the world.

One day when Linwe was just seven years old, Merenwen came to visit. It was a sunny autumn day, near the end of harvest. In a few short days the folk of Bree and the Shire would be celebrating another bountiful growing season with festivals. For the occasion of the harvest festival being held in Bree, Lila decided to make Linwe a new dress. Lila had Linwe help choose the fabric, a lovely deep rose, and all of the lace and trims. Lila, with some help from Linwe worked on that small dress for weeks. On the day of Merenwen’s visit, Lila sent Linwe off with Merenwen and took advantage of the stolen moments of peace to finish Linwe’s dress. Meanwhile as Linwe walked through the woods, she became frustrated with the way the dress that she was wearing kept getting stuck on brambles and gorse bushes. Linwe noticed that Merenwen did not seem to suffer from such problems, and this set Linwe to thinking.

When Merenwen and Linwe returned from their walk, Lila called Linwe to her. "Linwe dear, I have just finished your lovely new festival dress. How would you like to try it on and show it off to Merenwen?"

"No thank you, Mummy. I don’t want it," said Linwe without looking up from where she was sorting pinecones she had collected on her walk.

Lila was taken aback. "But, Linwe, you have practically watched me put every stitch in this dress. Now I need for you to change into it and let me check the fit one last time."

Linwe looked up at her mother, her eyes having gone from their usual warm kaleidoscope of mostly green, brown and gold to a cold gray. Calmly and quietly but with the slightest hint of steel she said, "No, Mummy, I don’t want that dress now. I will not wear it."

Lila was somewhat daunted by the child before her. Standing to her full height, doing her best to show her authority over her willful daughter, Lila calmly but firmly spoke again, "Linwe Taralom Gamwiche, you have but one chance to explain yourself before I send you to your room without tea."

Linwe did not flinch from the threat she heard in her mother’s voice. "I do not want to wear dresses like that anymore. All of the ruffles, lace and frills get caught on the gorse bushes when I walk in the woods. I want to wear dresses like Merenwen’s. Hers do not get stuck on things as mine do."

A small smile touched Lila’s lips, "Linwe dear, this is a dress meant for a special occasion not for roaming in the woods. Even Merenwen has gowns for special occasions that she does not wear when roaming the wilds. However, I can see that maybe it would be a good idea to make you some everyday dresses modeled more to Merenwen’s own. But you will still wear this dress to the harvest festival as planned. Are we in agreement?"

"Yes, Mummy." Linwe spoke calmly but was obviously very pleased; the gold flecks in her eyes even seemed to shine out more.

"Now, you were rude in telling me that you did not want this dress, after all of the work we have put into it. When someone does something for you, regardless of whether or not it is to your liking, you are supposed to accept the kindness with gratitude for the individual’s thoughtfulness. I would like you to go to your room while we have tea and get that firmly set in that small head of yours. In the future if you have any disagreements about your attire, I expect you to bring the matter to me in a more polite and thoughtful manner."

"Yes, Mummy. I am sorry," Linwe said contritely.

"You are forgiven," said Lila bending over to hug her errant child. "Now go to your room and stay there until I call you back." Lila watched as her small daughter left the room with her eyes cast down. When Linwe was out of the room, Lila let out a great sigh, then turned to smiling Merenwen.

"I am most impressed, Lila. You managed that with great patience," Merenwen complimented Lila.

"Bless that child, she spreads sunlight wherever she goes. But there are times when it is a strong-willed, full-grown Hobbitess that is looking out at me from those eyes, and that was one of those times. That is no ordinary child."

Marmadas was the first to notice what he came to call "lost-spells." Occasionally Linwe would stop whatever she was doing and be found gazing off directly in front of her sometimes for less than a minute and sometimes for longer, without really seeing. The first time this was noticed Linwe was a baby sitting in her chair at the kitchen table. Marmadas was there having his breakfast when he chanced to look up at Linwe and found her looking right back at him without blinking and, as far as Marmadas could tell, without really seeing him.

"Lila" called Marmadas puzzled and concerned by his daughter’s behavior.

"Yes dear, what is it?" asked Lila as she came into the room.

"It’s Linwe. Look at her. She has been staring off like that for nearly a minute now. I waved my hand in front of her face she did not seem to notice. And then I took her little horse out of her hand, and she did nothing."

"Nothing? I can’t take that horse out of her hand just to change her clothes without her crying," said Lila in amazement.

"I know. What do you think is wrong with her?" asked Marmadas

"I don’t know," said Lila with a frown creasing her brow.

Lila and Marmadas mentioned this to Merenwen, who said that they would all just have to wait until Linwe was older when she could tell them about what she was experiencing. When Linwe could at last talk, she told Marmadas and Lila that she could not remember what she had been thinking of and would quickly get busy elsewhere. Lila and Marmadas decided that it was best to let their daughter be. It was not until Linwe was twelve years old that they finally were able to get some insight into what was happening with Linwe.

One sunny day Merenwen was making her way through the woods to visit the Gamwiches, when she happened across Linwe sitting on the same stone where Merenwen had found Lila all those years before. And, like Lila, Linwe was weeping. So again Merenwen asked, "Little one, why do you weep so?" Merenwen waited, but Linwe did not respond. Merenwen took a closer look and realized that this was one of Linwe’s lost-spells. Merenwen thought for a moment, then asked in Elvish, "Linwe Taralom, why do you weep?"

"He is sad," said Linwe in Elvish, her voice sounding rather distant. "His heart is breaking. I can feel it."

"Whose heart is breaking? What is his name?" asked Merenwen speaking again in elvish.

"I do not know," sobbed Linwe.

Merenwen set down on the stone next to Linwe and took the child into her arms. There Merenwen sang an elvish song, a soothing one, to Linwe, as she had so many times before. Linwe soon drifted off to a calm sleep. When Linwe woke up in Merenwen’s arms, she asked Merenwen what had happened. Merenwen said she had found Linwe sleeping by the stone and left it at that since Linwe obviously did not recall what really happened.

Hobbits tend to be social creatures, but Linwe was not. Linwe was rather small for a Hobbit, even her feet were not of proper proportion to a growing Hobbit child. Many a Hobbitess considered it her duty to go to Lila and give her some bit of advice on what Linwe needed to be fed to make her grow. Linwe, who tended to be a bit shy, preferring to read or walk in the woods alone, became self-conscious with so much fuss over her size. But despite all of this, Linwe was still well thought of. Almost everyone seemed to be drawn to her. She was not aware of it, but in her rather shy quiet way Linwe made the folk around her feel good.

However, no matter how well liked she was, that did not prevent people from debating what it was that made Linwe, well Linwe. Some blamed it on the bit of Took blood; there had long been rumors of one of the Tooks marrying a fairy many generations ago. Fairies were supposed to be slender and as she was. Then there were those who said it could only be her Brandybuck heritage. Those Brandybucks were known for doing such odd things as taking boats out onto the Brandywine River. Hobbits from the Shire said it came from living in Bree among the highly unusual big folk. Old Hanna Proudfoot liked to point out that Linwe was distantly related to Bilbo Baggins and everyone knew he was cracked. But it was only Lila and Marmadas who really knew the truth of the matter. For it was only Lila and Marmadas who knew about Merenwen and her involvement in helping Lila have her one precious child. While still in the womb, Linwe had been exposed to a considerable amount of Elvish magic and herb lore designed to ensure the birth of a healthy elf. After Linwe was born, Merenwen realized that the measures she had taken worked a little too well on little Linwe and instilled in her a few Elvish qualities. So on that day Merenwen found Linwe weeping in the woods, having one of her lost-spells, it occurred to Merenwen that perhaps Linwe was exhibiting a touch of the elvish ability to see other places and times in one’s mind. Later, Merenwen told Lila and Marmadas of the incident and her mounting suspicions.

"Is there anyway we can know for sure this is what is happening to Linwe?" asked Marmadas, a frown furrowing his brow.

"At this point, no. Not when Linwe appears to be unaware of the episodes herself." said Merenwen.

"Can these visions harm her in any way?" asked Lila.

"I don’t think so, not as long as she cannot remember them. We will have to watch her closely as she gets older. If the day should come when she is aware of them, then I can teach her how to live with them. Until that day comes, I think it is better to say nothing to her of them."

 ~~~~~

 The same day Linwe sat on the stone, weeping, feeling a loss she did not understand, in the Shire little Frodo Baggins sat huddled alone in a small hollow beneath the roots of a massive tree, weeping, his heart breaking for the parents he had lost.

Chapter Five

It was a crisp and sunny September day, three days after Linwe’s fiftieth birthday to be precise. Life in Bree had become rather dismal despite the weather. The big folk seemed to be on edge, and the Hobbits were starting to sense that it was no longer a place for decent Hobbits to live. So many families the Gamwiches included had decided to move into the Shire.

"Thank you for walking me home, Marroc. It was very kind of you," said Linwe. She had been to market to get a few things her mother needed to prepare for the move when she had met up with Marroc Hamwich. Linwe had known Marroc most of her life. His family had a prosperous farm by Buckleberry Fern. Marroc was often in Bree on family business and always made a point of meeting up with Linwe. He tried to make it appear that the meetings were accidental but Linwe knew the truth.

"It’s my pleasure, Miss Linwe," said Marroc his face taking on a pink tinge.

Linwe was well aware that Marroc was rather sweet on her, and she liked him well enough but not that way. Linwe could not figure out why he continued vying for her attention, as far as she could tell she had never encouraged him. Linwe had always behaved the same with Marroc as she had with every other lad or every other person for that matter, she was quiet, she barely said a word and tried to get away as soon as possible.

"I really need to get inside and get these things to mother," said Linwe as she kept her gaze firmly fixed on the ground.

"C…Could I ask you a question Miss Linwe?" Stammered Marroc.

"Yes, I suppose," said Linwe with a quick glance up, then she once again fixed her gaze firmly on the ground.

"Well, being as how you and your parents will soon be moving to Brandy Hall, I was wondering if I might come and call on you from time to time. To c…court you if you would ..err.. be interested. Buckleberry Fern isn’t too far from there you see; and I was thinking that with you living closer I could maybe court you properly, if you understand me. So would that be all right?"

Linwe wished that the earth would open her up and swallow her whole. "W…Well that is well ..err.. so very k…kind of you, Marroc. But I don’t, well I just don’t know. The truth is I have a terrible headache at the moment. I think I had better go lie down."

"I understand," said Marroc, his voice warm and gentle with kindness. "Maybe we can talk about this later, when you are feeling better. I am sure I will be seeing you again soon anyway."

"Yes, all right then. Goodbye Marroc, and thank you again," said Linwe as she struggled to get out a weak smile. Linwe hurried into the house slamming the door behind her.

"Linwe, was that Marroc Hamwich I saw walking with you?" asked Lila from the kitchen.

"Yes, Mother, it was."

"That was nice of him to walk you home. Did you invite him in for a cup of tea?" Lila asked, knowing perfectly well what the answer would be.

"No, Mother, I didn’t."

"Oh Linwe, what are we going to do with you? How could you be so rude to Marroc when he is nothing but polite and considerate to you?"

"Very easily, and it is all his own fault." said Linwe angrily.

Lila saw the hard look come into her daughter’s eyes that meant she was going to be especially stubborn. "And how, prey tell, is it his fault that you were rude?"

"He asked if he could call on me at Brandy Hall so that he could court me. If he hadn’t done that, then I would not have got all flustered and had to treat him rudely."

"Oh my little Linwe," said Lila coming to give her daughter a hug.

"I don’t understand it, Mother. Why do they keep coming and asking to court me anyway?" Linwe said as she held her mother tightly.

Lila pulled back and looked straight into her daughter’s eyes, "Because despite your behavior you are really a very lovely girl and everyone knows it."

"No I’m not! I am puny. Why, even my feet are too small. I am a freak of nature, and I wish everyone would leave me alone."

"Linwe dear, I know you are not comfortable being around other folk, but you really are going to have to learn to deal with this. We will be moving soon to Brandy Hall, and you will be around so many more people. Some of them will be lads your own age who have not yet married and will wish to court you."

"But I’ve told you, I don’t want to be courted, I don’t want to be married. I want to go roaming the wilds with Merenwen where I can be left alone," said Linwe as she slumped down into a chair.

"Linwe, I really do wish you would give some of these lads a chance. You are fifty years old. Most lasses your age have been married for years and have children about to go into their tweens. And you know your father and I worry about who will care for you, after we are gone."

"I know you do, and I really am sorry. It’s just that…" she stopped without finishing.

"’It’s just’ what?" urged Lila.

"I don’t know. I don’t know what is wrong with me. A part of me really wants to be married and to have a family," Linwe sighed. She felt confused and frustrated.

Lila’s heart went out to her daughter. "Linwe, please talk to me. There must be a reason for the way you feel. I know you feel unsure of yourself because of your size, but you know you are not the only Hobbit to be rather on the slender side."

"Not only am I too skinny for a Hobbit, but I am also too short; and my feet are too small. The big folk in town are always thinking I am a human child because my feet are too small."

"Linwe, that cannot be the only reason for your not being willing to take a suitor. I know you are not as childish as all that, there must be a more important reason."

Linwe sat looking out the window for a while, trying to get a firm grasp on some thought that seemed to elude her. "I feel…," she said as she started to speak haltingly. "I feel like there is something I am waiting for. I feel like there is something that has to happen first. I know that makes no sense, but that is the only way I can think to describe it."

Lila went and standing next to her daughter’s chair pulled Linwe into another tight hug. Linwe buried her face in her mother’s waist just as she had when she was a child.

"It will be all right, Linwe," said Lila as she ran a hand over Linwe’s soft curls. "Your father and I worry. That is what parents do. If you were settled in a home with a little family of your own we would find something else to worry about. But we know that you also need to find your own way in the world, so you just do what you think is best for you and know that we love you no matter what."

Chapter Six

 When Marmadas and Lila had decided that they should move into the Shire, Lila wrote to her cousin Saradoc the Master of Buckland, to tell he and his wife Esmeralda of their plans. Lila had always been close to Saradoc and Esmeralda, they had all been playmates as children, so it was no surprise to Lila when she received an invitation from them, to come and live in Brandy Hall for as long as they needed or wanted to. This pleased Lila greatly, Marmadas had been feeling reluctant to sell the small holding they lived on, but he felt it was necessary to make the move to the Shire affordable. There had also been the concern of possibly having to put the move off until they could find a buyer. With the invitation from Saradoc and Esmeralda Marmadas and Lila could put off the sale of their home indefinitely. Lila was also hoping that living in the large community of Brandy Hall would help bring Linwe out of her shell, and maybe she would finally get married.

On the first day of October, Linwe woke up sandy eyed from a sleep filled with terrifying images of dark ghostly figures. It was not the first time she had dreamt of these spectral figures, they had been making their frightful appearance for at least a week or more. However last night had been the worst as they felt so near to her, and made her feel as though they were looking for her. To Linwe it was all very strange and frightening, but she kept it to herself so as not to worry her parents.

That same morning all of Bree woke to all manner of strange and exciting tales. Marmadas heard all, when he made his way into the heart of town to tend to some final arrangements for the move. It seemed that the night before, four hobbits arrived at the Inn of the Prancing Pony, asking for Gandalf the Gray and then requested rooms. Later in the evening the hobbit that gave his name as Mr. Underhill, mysteriously vanished before the eyes of everyone in the common room. Then as if that were not enough late in the night when all was still someone forced the windows on the rooms taken by the hobbits and destroyed everything in it. Sinister looking riders in black were seen riding through town as well, striking fear into the hearts of anyone whose eyes happened to fall upon them. The following morning, the four hobbits who had escaped the destruction of their room by the good fortune of having slept in a neighboring parlor, left Bree in the company of the ranger known only as Strider.

"Lila, I think it is time that we leave Bree." Said Marmadas who had just returned home and had told her all that he had heard in town.

"And we are leaving dear, we will be in Brandy Hall in five days." Replied Lila.

"No Lila, I mean it is time to go now or at the very latest dawn tomorrow. I just have this feeling that we need to go now. I know we are supposed to go in a few days anyway, I can’t explain it, but I will feel far better when you and Linwe are somewhere safe."

"Marmadas you have become too fussy in your old age, nothing is going to happen in so few days besides some of the cousins from Brandy Hall will be arriving soon to help us move our things, we can’t possibly do that on our own."

"And they will still come, Lila dear." Argued Marmadas "But not till after I have seen you and Linwe safely to Brandy Hall. If we leave tomorrow morning I can come back with the lads to get the rest of our belongings."

And so it was that early on the morning of the second day of October, Marmadas, Lila, and Linwe, climbed into their small pony cart with what little they could take with them and started off for Brandy Hall. They made good time the road was dry and the day sunny and comfortably cool. It was a pleasant day to be out and traveling.

Shortly after sunset the family arrived at Brandy Hall to find the place in an uproar. It seems that the adopted heir of Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, had recently bought a house in the neighborhood, after selling Bag End. Frodo, Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took, and Saradoc and Esmeralda’s son Meriadoc had apparently all arrived at the Crickhollow house about eight days before, only to leave in secret the next morning, heading into the Old Forrest. They left Fredeger Bolger at Crickhollow to keep up the illusion that all of the lads were there. Then on the evening of the 30^th of September, black riders came to the house demanding entry, the same sort of riders seen that very same night in Bree. Fredeger raised the alarm and before long everyone in the neighborhood of the four lads heading into the Old Forrest, and now all feared for the very lives of the four lads. It was welcome news when Marmadas related the tale of what had happened in Bree and the departure of the previously unidentified hobbits, in the company of Strider.

"Tell me, Marmadas, what of this ‘Strider’, is he trustworthy?" asked Saradoc.

"I know most in Bree do not trust him, he keeps to himself and that makes fold suspicious. But I have talked with him a time or two and I believe him to be a decent sort myself, and he is on good terms with Gandalf the Gray."

"Being friends with that old wizard is not necessarily a recommendation here in the Shire, Marmadas" said the worried Esmeralda "Most of the Shire considers him to be more than a disturber of the peace. My guess is that he is somehow behind this wondering the lads have taken to, just as he was behind Bilbo leaving all those years ago."

Saradoc sighed "What ever can those boys be up to?"

Chapter Seven

Linwe sat at the dressing table in her new room, slowly combing out a days worth of tangles from her long curling hair. Feeling restless she had gone out to explore the countryside around Brandy Hall. The breeze had been strong; it easily caught her hair and twisted and turned it about tying it into knots. Linwe considered this to be a small price to pay for allowing her hair to always hang down loose, free of braids, bows, pins and clips.

The walk had done little to relieve her restlessness; she still felt pensive and fidgety. Something didn’t feel right to her and she was frustrated by fruitless attempts to sort out what it was that was bothering her. Lately she had felt a need to be watchful, though she did not know what for. The night that the mysterious and scary dark riders had come to Bree, she had found herself feeling fearful, though she could not have explained why if anyone had known to ask. The next day she was back to feeling watchful though now the instinct felt stronger. Today it had been worse than ever. As a result she had been easily startled all day. In need of peace and quiet she excused herself from sharing an evening of Saradoc and Esmeralda’s hospitality by claiming to have a head ache and escaped to the isolation of her bedroom. Only now, she was feeling not only pensive but also once again fearful.

Linwe stood up and crossed over to the wardrobe to get a clean night dress, hoping that going through the usual routine of getting ready for bed would stave off some of her anxieties. Halfway across the room she suddenly felt the cold steely grip of terror take hold of her heart. She stood for a moment struggling for breath, her eyes wide as thoughts in her mind spun out of control. Seconds past, as still she struggled trying to master this unseen threat. Suddenly everything went black, and she felt herself outside in the cold night air. A spectral figure loomed over her brandishing what to her looked like a very long blade. The blade came down, piercing the flesh of her left shoulder. Linwe cried out from the shock of burning cold pain.

~~~~~

Lila walked down the passage towards the suite of rooms that Esmeralda had given to Marmadas, Linwe and her to settle in. Lila was concerned. Linwe did not seem to be settling into Brandy Hall as well as Lila had hoped she would. After four days there, Linwe seemed to be more nervous and reclusive than ever even going so far as to avoid keeping company with Lila and Marmadas. Lila was at a loss as she now went to check on her daughter. As Lila neared the suite Linwe screamed in excruciating pain. With a mother’s instincts, Lila rushed to the room, burst through the door, and found Linwe moaning and gasping for air, her hands grasping at the fabric of her dress.

"Linwe!" cried Lila as she dropped to the floor next to her daughter, grabbing one of Linwe’s hands and holding it tightly, fearful for her daughter’s life. "Linwe! What is it? Speak to me!" But Linwe did not answer. Lila could tell by Linwe’s terror-filled gaze that she was in the midst of one of her lost-spells.

"Marmadas! Help! Please someone come help!" Lila cried out. Marmadas, Saradoc and Esmeralda had all heard Linwe scream, and were already rushing to her room when they heard Lila’s call for help. Marmadas was the first to reach Linwe’s room with Saradoc and Esmeralda on his heels.

"Lila, what is it?" demanded Marmadas.

"It’s Linwe. I was just on my way to check on her when I heard her scream. I ran in and found her on the floor. She seems to be in pain and looks terrified. Oh Marmadas, I think she is having one of her lost-spells," said Lila, frightened tears streaming down her cheeks.

Marmadas knelt on the floor at Linwe’s side, opposite of Lila and reached out to rest a comforting hand on Lila’s shoulder. "It will be all right, Lila."

"But nothing like this has ever happened before. I’m scared." Cried Lila, who was now nearly hysterical.

Before Marmadas could respond further to his wife’s fears, Esmeralda stepped forward and in her most authoritative voice took charge of the scene. "Calm down Lila, there will be time for hysterics later. Saradoc, your back is stronger so you can lift Linwe up onto the bed, then you and Marmadas may wait in the sitting room while Lila and I look over Linwe and see what can be done for her."

Once Marmadas and Saradoc had left the room, Lila and Esmeralda wasted no time in starting to gently remove Linwe’s dress. Esmeralda was supporting Linwe so that Lila could lift the dress over Linwe’s head. Esmeralda was just settling Linwe back to the bed when she noticed something. "Lila, look at this."

"What is it?" asked Lila coming around the bed.

"I think it is a bruise," said Esmeralda in a puzzled voice.

Lila looked at the place on Linwe’s left shoulder that Esmeralda had directed her. There she saw a narrow black mark about two inches in length. Lila reached out and touched it. Quickly she withdrew her fingers with a gasp. "It’s ice cold!"

Esmeralda reached out and touched the mark as well. "So it is. It is shaped sort of like a stab wound, from a knife. I wonder how she could have got it?"

Lila kept staring at the unusual mark that was dark gray with what seemed to be a frosty sheen. "Do you think we need to call the healer to come and see her?"

Esmeralda thought for a moment, "That is up to you, Lila. You told Marmadas that you thought she was having one of her ‘lost-spells.’ I don’t know what you mean by that but I gather that this is something you have seen her do before, I am also guessing that this maybe something you would prefer few people know about. If we send for a healer everyone in Brandy Hall will know in a matter of minutes and folk will start asking questions. Healers are not supposed to be spreading gossip about their patients but they do. I don’t think we need to risk it since I honestly doubt that old Grigory Bolger would be able to tell us anything helpful."

"We really would prefer that this does not go beyond you and Saradoc." Said Lila.

"Very well, I am going to send for Zelda to help me round up some things that I think we will need and I will tell her that Linwe has come down with a bad case of the flu, if this lasts more than a couple of days or Linwe gets worse it will not look unusual and it will also allow us to call in Grigory if we need to."

~~~~~

Lila, Esmeralda and Marmadas kept vigil over Linwe all through that night. To keep suspicions down Esmeralda sent Saradoc to their own rooms where he spent a sleepless night as well, worries for Linwe adding their weight to worries for his son, and the other boys. Saradoc wondered where Merry was now, as he often did during the small hours of the night when he could not sleep. It would have been of great interest to Saradoc and Lila, Marmadas and Esmeralda as well, to know that as they sat keeping watch over Linwe and worrying, Merry, Pippin and Sam, were spending that same night watching and worrying over Frodo who had been stabbed in his left shoulder that very same night.

"I don’t suppose one of you would be willing to tell me what all this business with ‘lost-spells’ is about?" Esmeralda asked, from where she sat near the fire knitting.

Lila sighed, "They started when Linwe was a baby. Every now and then she we would find her staring off into space, apparently unaware of what was going on around her. When she was a little older we asked her what she had been thinking of but she did not know what we were talking about. She was unaware of what she was doing. These episodes happened a few times when we were out in public but we always managed to keep others from noticing what was happening. When she was about twelve years old she was found crying as though her heart were breaking. From that point on we became fearful of another such episode coming on, one that would get attention and cause people to start talking, so we stopped making frequent visits here and to Marmadas’ family."

"Lila Gamwhiche! You of all Hobbits should have known that you could have come to me with this. The Tooks have had such odd behavior cropping up in family members for years, myself included, we know how to keep quiet."

"I know, Esme, but we were so afraid for Linwe I guess I sort of forgot about the Tooks."

~~~~~

One day passed to another until a week had gone. Still Linwe lay in a fitful slumber. Linwe’s condition deteriorated with each passing day. Lila and Esmeralda struggled to keep Linwe warm as the illness progressed. Bricks and quilts were always warming by the fire, to bundle around Linwe.

Just when Lila and Marmadas were starting to lose hope of their daughter ever recovering, her condition started to change and improve. On the morning of October the twenty-forth, as about ten o’clock, Linwe awakened. When asked Linwe said she had no memory of the night of her collapse or of the days that followed.

~~~~~

Far to the east in Rivendell and the house of Elrond, Frodo Baggins opened his eyes for the first time since losing consciousness at the Ford of Bruinen. The date was October the Twenty-fourth at about ten o’clock in the morning.

Author's Note- I have taken one line of dialogue from LOTR.  The line appears in italics.

Chapter Eight

Lila sat in as overstuffed chair, her feet propped on an equally overstuffed foot stool, about her shoulders was a rose colored shawl made of the softest wool. A thick colorful quilt made from bits of dresses Linwe had worn as a child, was tucked snugly around her legs. Lila’s chair was by the window in her little sitting room. She gazed out the window at the clouds that raced across the bright blue sky, as one worried thought after another raced across her mind.

"You are quiet this morning, Lila," observed Esmeralda from where she sat working on her knitting. "Are you comfortable?"

"Yes, dear, I am." Replied Lila turning from the window to smile at Esmeralda, one of her oldest friends. "I guess I just have a lot on my mind."

"You mean you are fretting over Linwe again," Esmeralda said gently. "I keep worrying for her myself then I get distracted with worrying for the boys."

"I have been going back and forth as well. I also have this general feeling of uneasiness. Marmadas and I thought we were leaving this sense of foreboding behind when we left Bree, but it seems to be here as well. What is happening, Esme? Why does it feel like it is a dark and stormy day when I can look out my window and see blue sky and sunshine?"

"I don’t know, Lila, perhaps because there have been many events recently that are so frightening and even worse our children seem to be at the center of it." Esmeralda said sadly.

Minutes passed, the only sound to be heard in the room was the ticking of a clock on the mantel and the soft clicking of Esmeralda’s knitting needles. Lila had her own knitting sitting in her lap untouched. Lila had not the energy nor the heart for knitting. Caring for Linwe had tired Lila more than she had expected. She was starting to suspect that she herself might not be in the best of health.

Lila pushed concerns for her own well being aside and went back to thinking about Linwe. Physically, Linwe appeared to have made full recovery, but Lila could tell that something still weighed heavily her daughter’s spirit.

"Why do I feel it is all tied together?" Lila muttered to herself.

"I’m sorry, what did you say, dear?" Esmeralda asked with a quick glance towards Lila.

"It’s silly, but I get this oddest feeling that all of this is tied together some how. What ever it is that is troubling Linwe and the disappearance of the boys, it feels connected for some strange reason, but I can’t, for the life of me, think of how it can be."

"You are not being silly, you are being ‘Tookish’ almost everyone in the Took family knows that some Tooks are born with a strong intuitive sense."

"That is fine for you, Esme, you have had such sense all of your life, but I take after the Brandybuck side of the family. I have never had a strong sense about anything, in that way." Lila said firmly.

"There is a first time for everything. Perhaps this is your first time to feel such insights. I am not really surprised as it involves your daughter."

Lila didn’t say anything at first, she just sat looking down at her hands. Esmeralda could tell that Lila was thinking hard, and Esmeralda sensed that she was about to be told something very important.

"I don’t know that I should be having such insights about Linwe. I never really should have been able to have Linwe to begin with. I love her more than life but how can I have a hint of what troubles her so deeply when she is so different from Marmadas and myself?"

"Now you truly are being silly," chided Esmeralda. "Linwe takes a lot after you and Marmadas, and it has been a blessing to her, she really is a very lovely child."

"I know you’re right, Linwe does take after Marmadas and myself quit a bit, but there is a part of her that is not even really all that Hobbit like." Lila paused the said quietly, "One might even say she seems sort of Elf-like."

Esmeralda looked hard at Lila, "What is it you are trying to say?"

Lila sighed "I don’t know what I am trying to say either. Don’t mind me, I’m just an old woman worrying for her child."

"No, Lila, I will mind you. I think there is something you are wanting to tell me, and I intend to here what it is."

Several moments passed before Lila said anything and when she did she spoke softly. "Esme do you remember just after Linwe was born, you asked me how we came by her name?"

"Yes, you said it was a name you heard in Bree that it is a very old name among the Big Folk."

"That isn’t where her name comes from. Esme, Linwe’s name is Elvish. A rough variation of my own, actually."

Only a slight widening of Esmeralda’s deep green eyes gave any clue to her surprise. Esmeralda continued to stare intently at her friend and cousin. "How did you happen to learn this variation on your name?"

"My friend , Merenwen, told me." Lila said quietly.

"Merenwen is an Elf, I take it?"

Lila only nodded her head.

"Lila, please don’t make me drag every last detail out of you. Tell me everything and tell me now!" demanded Esmeralda.

Lila smiled to herself. "Dear Esme, you are so good to me and for me. I will tell you everything, it is time someone else knows. I met Merenwen in the woods not far from our home. I had been crying over having recently lost another baby. Merenwen heard me with those sharp Elven ears of hers and came to see what was the matter. Being a very compassionate soul, Merenwen offered to use her knowledge of Elvish healing to help me have a child. Over the next several months I had to drink some of the most dreadful concoctions, but they made me stronger and insured Linwe’s health as I carried her. Some of what Merenwen did involved Elven magic. Merenwen suspects that Linwe’s lost-spells are a product of her intervention. The methods Merenwen used were created to insure the birth of a healthy baby elf. Merenwen believes they worked a little to well and tried to make Linwe a healthy elf, what we got was a very healthy Hobbit with apparently some elvish characteristics. One of those characteristics is the ability to see events in other places and time. When Linwe was twelve Merenwen found the child sitting in the woods one day, crying. On a hunch Merenwen spoke to Linwe in Elvish and asked her why she was crying. Linwe said something about ‘His heart is broken,’ Merenwen asked who’s heart but Linwe did not know."

"Has Linwe ever been able to tell you any more?" asked Esmeralda

"No, on that one occasion, Merenwen was able to question Linwe while she was still caught in the vision. Linwe never remembers them when they are over."

~~~~~

Yule came and went, then the weather turned bitterly cold. Folk in the Shire were feeling nervous. The hushed conversations by nearly every fireside were about the same thing. Someone in the Shire had managed to buy much of the land in the Shire anonymously and had then hired rough men and disgruntled greedy Hobbits to go around and gathering the harvest from the families that worked those lands. The families were threatened and told some spurious story of gathering and sharing. But the families were stripped of nearly all their winter stores and now had barely enough to live on and get them through the bitter winter. At first the gathering had been only on lands owned by this nameless Hobbit, but rumors were coming from the South Farthing that the ‘gathering’ was now happening on other holdings as well.

None of this mattered to the Gamwhiches of Bree who now resided in Buckland. Lila’s suspicions about her own health had proven to be true. Towards the end of November Lila had developed a cough and had started to have a difficult time keeping up with her usual tasks. Through December the cough steadily became worse. By mid January Lila was confined to her bed and spent most of her time sleeping. Marmadas and Linwe were worried.

Early one morning Lila woke up to find Linwe by her bedside. She held a book in her lap but her hazel eyes were turned towards the window and the cold gray landscape beyond. "Linwe, my sweet child, what is it you are thinking?"

Linwe turned towards her mother and smiled, "Nothing important, Mother."

" ‘Nothing’ can be very troubling at times, it most certainly has you looking worried at the moment." Chided Lila.

"If I worry it is for you. You are not getting enough rest." Linwe scolded gently.

"Please don’t talk to me of rest, I think I sleep too much. I am ninety-four years old, there will be plenty of time for rest after I have taken my last breath."

"You shouldn’t say such things, I don’t like to think of you no longer being here with me."

"I’m sorry, dearest, but you cannot stop what is meant to be. I have lived a respectable length of time, I think I will be ready to go when the time comes." Said Lila while reaching out and taking hold of her daughter’s hand.

"I wish you would let me go in search of Merenwen, she could heal you. I am not afraid of traveling by myself, you know." Linwe said with a stubborn edge to her voice.

"We have been through this far too many times already. Would you have me sitting here worrying for you as Esme worries for Merry? That would most likely bring my end long before you could ever get here with Merenwen."

Linwe sighed, " I wish there were something I could do for you, I feel so helpless."

"You can do something, you can stop sitting and watching my every breath. Go make yourself useful to this over grown Hobbit hole, I am sure Amethyst can find something for you to do."

"Oh all right. I will go but I will be back to have elevenses with you."

"I will look forward to it, now run along." Lila said firmly.

Linwe got up to leave. She had walked halfway across the room when she gasped and put a hand to her side.

"Linwe! What is it?" Cried Lila

Linwe did not answer. She felt herself falling to the floor and unable to breath. A veil of gray fell down before her eyes obscuring her view. Linwe fought to remain conscious but lost the battle when her vision was filled with images of dark creatures battling with what looked like men and Hobbits. The shock of her vision was so strong she quickly slipped into oblivion, unable to hear her mother’s cries for help.

Darkness

Linwe found herself in darkness. Her side ached as though severely bruised. She was moving, someone was carrying her. The pain was great, she wanted to stop but some how knew she had to go on. They were being chased. "I am all right. I can walk. Put me down!" she heard herself say, but it was not her voice.

Linwe started to feel dizzy. ‘Why can’t I see where I am going?’ she wondered to herself, ‘Where am I?’

Suddenly a bright light stabbed out from the darkness, then all was completely black again. Linwe’s only coherent thought was to run.

Darkness continued, Linwe could not be sure of how fast time was passing. She was bewildered and confused. She felt like she was awake but she obviously was not in Brandy Hall. She must be dreaming.

Then there was fire. Linwe saw fire and darkness and she felt fear. She felt the need to run even faster. It was after her. It would kill her and take It. Take what? She didn’t know.

Linwe heard a voice filled with power. She turned and saw a pure white light standing before the fire and shadow and felt a glimmer of hope. The light flared up making her heart feel lighter. Then suddenly it was gone. Linwe felt as though her heart had stopped with sudden and severe pain of loss. She heard a voice screaming. ‘Gandalf! NO!’ She was only dimly aware that the voice she heard was not her own. Linwe wept as she slipped into merciful sleep.

Author's Note- I have once again got ahead of my editor.  I am posting this chapter with a few bits still to be dusted off, but I think it is well enough for now.  Since I am ahead of my editor I am going to hold off posting again until I get revisions back so it could be a couple of weeks before I post again.  I thank you for your patience.  ~~MytseriousWays

Chapter Nine

When Esmeralda was worried about something she knitted. She would knit something simple like a plain scarf so that she did not have to think about the stitches she made. The repetition of the movement of her hands soothed her mind and helped her to work through difficult problems or soothe away worries. These days Esmeralda found herself knitting a lot.

There were the worries she had for Merry as well as Pippin, Frodo and Sam. Tookish intuition told her they were still alive but in danger.

There was Linwe. Esmeralda had tended to Linwe personally when she had collapsed in Lila’s room. At first it had been assumed that Linwe had only feinted. When Esmeralda’s strongest smelling salts failed to revive Linwe, Esmeralda could only have Linwe put to bed. It was when Esmeralda was dressing Linwe for bed that she found a large black and purple bruise on Linwe’s side, just below her ribs. Esmeralda’s worries mounted.

Linwe slept through to the following day. Within a few more days the bruise that should have taken weeks to fade completely, was barely a shadow. Esmeralda was as baffled by this ailment as she had been of Linwe’s illness the previous October.

Then there was Lila. Esmeralda knew from experience that Lila was suffering from an ailment of the lungs that would likely never get any better. The stresses of moving and worrying about Linwe only served to make Lila that much weaker and less able to fight the progression of the illness. On average Hobbits lived to be about one hundred years old. For a Hobbit like Lila who had been weakened in childhood by a severe fever, ninety-four was a very respectable age for her to reach. The shock of Linwe’s last collapse appeared to over tax Lila’s reserves and she had begun a rapid decline.

Lila was aware of her eminent demise. Just that morning Lila had made Esmeralda promise that she and Saradoc would keep watch over Linwe. "Whether it’s from being a little bit Elvish or Tookish, Linwe is very special and she needs the love and protection of those who will understand that."

Esmeralda squeezed Lila’s hand and smiled past unshed tears, "You worry too much, Lila. I don’t think anyone who meets Linwe could help but love her. Linwe will be just fine."

"I might worry less if she were married and settled. Marroc Hamwhiche fancies her maybe you can convince her to accept his attentions, I never could. She can be so stubborn sometimes." Lila sighed.

"That is because she is her mother’s daughter. I seem to recall hearing tales of you ignoring the attentions of some of the Shire’s finest sons, at one time."

"Humph! I married the Shire’s finest son! At least at that time. Other lasses turned their noses up at him some even said he was common. Common indeed, there is nothing common about Marmadas Gamwhiche." Lila said indignantly.

Esmeralda chuckled, "There is most certainly nothing common about his wife and daughter."

"No there isn’t, is there." Lila smiled then closed her eyes. Esmeralda thought Lila had gone to sleep and was about to leave Lila’s side when she opened her eyes once more. "Esme, you must keep an eye out for Merenwen, I know she will come looking for Linwe."

"I will, Lila. Now do be quiet and get some rest."

~~~~~

Four days later, Marmadas and Linwe sat on either side of Lila’s bed, each holding one of Lila’s hands. In the last several days they had spent a lot of time together, in just this way. Savoring the time they had together.

"My little Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche," Lila said her voice barely above a whisper. "I do wish you could stop weeping."

"Oh Mummy!" Linwe cried as she held her mother’s hand to her cheek, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, my little one, always."

"Lila dear you should rest now." Said Marmadas, his voice thick with unshed tears.

"Perhaps you’re right, dear." Lila summoned what strength she could to squeeze his hand. "I love you."

"And I love you, my fairest Lila."

"I will be waiting for you."

Marmadas smiled sadly. "I know, my dear."

Lila closed her eyes and with a smile on her lips drifted off to sleep. An hour later, Linwe and Marmadas were still sitting by Lila and holding her hands as Lila took her last sighing breath.

~~~~~

Linwe’s days seemed to be growing darker. Her sleep was haunted by frightening images. When she awakened from the nightmares she was soon overcome with the sense of loss that came with remembering her mother was no longer there. And then there were her concerns for her father.

With the death of Lila, Marmadas lost his own will to live. He would sit for hours on end saying nothing. Sometimes Linwe would sit with him, hoping that at any moment he would come out of his stupor, but he never did. Marmadas was not eating enough to keep a hobbit child alive. Marmadas was slipping away and Linwe knew it. By March he was far too weak to leave his bed.

Linwe finally accepted that she was losing her father as she had lost her mother. So one evening she took extra care in settling him for the night. She washed his hair, saw to it that he was dressed in a clean nightshirt, she carefully combed out his now snow-white curls. When she was done Linwe took one of her father’s hands in one of her own, then with her other hand, she gently turned her father’s face towards her own. "Papa, I know you miss Mummy, I know all you want is to be with her again. It’s okay Papa, go on, I will be okay." Tears were streaming down Linwe’s face. Then for the first time in weeks, Marmadas looked at his daughter and truly saw her. His eyes filled with tears, then with one trembling hand he reached up and brushed a stray curl from her cheek. In a whisper that could barely be heard, he said "I’m sorry Linwe. I love you."

"I love you too, Papa." Sobbed Linwe

When Linwe woke the next morning, Marmadas was with Lila.

Chapter Ten

After the death of Marmadas, there was only one person, in the world Linwe felt she could turn to, and that was Merenwen. Without being aware of it, Linwe started calling out for Merenwen, from the very depth of her soul. Merenwen heard.

Not long after Marmadas passed away, Linwe set out at dawn for one of her long walks. A blush of bright green was just starting to tint the winter landscape. Linwe came to a little babbling brook where she often liked to sit. Settling herself at the foot of an ancient oak tree, she was quickly lost in thought so much so that she did not see the tall graceful figure that came and stood but a short distance away. The figure stood silently for a few moments, then the silence was broken with the language of elves. "Linwe Taralom, what weighs so heavy on your heart and mind? Linwe turned to the voice and her eyes lit up in joy, in an instant she was running into Merenwen’s out stretched arms. The two stood together for a long moment. Then Merenwen pulled back and looked into Linwe’s eyes. Linwe’s face was now tearstained and her nose was a bit red, more tears were ready to spill out of her eyes at any moment. "How I have missed you!" exclaimed Merenwen

"How did you find me here?" asked Linwe, still hardly believing that Merenwen was there before her.

Merenwen smiled tenderly, "You are wearing the necklace I gave your mother while she was pregnant with you. It has some magical powers of its own, one of them being that I can sense the location of the one who wears it."

"Why couldn’t it have led you here earlier, when Mother was still wearing it. She is gone now, Mother got so very sick and you could have saved her. Then Father died from a broken heart a month later. Where were you? Why didn’t you come? The needed you!" Linwe cried hysterically.

Merenwen pulled Linwe close and held her tightly. Silent tears slipped down the pale smooth skin of Merenwen’s cheeks. "I’m so sorry that I could not come earlier, my dearest. I wanted to."

Linwe pushed herself away from Merenwen and with anger burning in her eyes demanded, "Then why didn’t you?"

Merenwen turned her gaze a way from Linwe and looked out through an opening in the trees to the rolling hills of the Shire. She took several deep breaths and said, "I knew from the necklace that Lila was ill. I also knew there was nothing I could do for her and I had duties to perform else where."

"But you could have done something. You didn’t even try." Protested Linwe.

"I did try. I have been trying since that day I found your mother in the woods, weeping for another child she had not been able to carry to term. I did all that I could for her and she became stronger and she was even able to have you. After that I continued my efforts to insure that she would live to see you grow up.

"You need to understand that your mother’s lungs were greatly weakened when she suffered that fever as a child. If I had not found her that day in the woods, she would likely have died within the next few years. Her body ruined from one failed attempt after another to have a child of her own, and her heart broken a bit more from every attempt. Linwe, the last time I saw your mother, I knew she was not likely to live through another winter. Lila was my friend and I wanted to be there with her when she took her last breath. I wanted to be there for you and for Marmadas, but I couldn’t and I am sorry."

Linwe collapsed into Merenwen’s arms and cried. "I have been so lonely without you. So much has happened and I had no one to talk to."

"I know my little one, but I am here now. Tell me all that has happened."

Linwe took several deep breaths and tried to calm herself. "I hardly know where to begin."

"How about you start with telling me why you all left Bree, and go on from there." Suggested Merenwen.

Linwe told Merenwen everything the reasoning for her family deciding to move, the unusual events in Bree that led to her father choosing to leave Bree a few days early. Her mysterious illness that she could remember nothing of. Lila’s declining health. Her own supposed relapse. Lila’s death followed soon by Marmadas’ death. When Linwe was finished speaking, Merenwen asked "Are you sure you remember nothing of your own illnesses?"

Linwe did not say anything for awhile, she looked into the distance without really seeing, finally she spoke. "I do remember a little, but I do not understand what I remember. It’s like I have memories but I know they are not my memories. They are memories of things that have not happened to me. And it’s all broken and jumbled." Linwe sighed "At first it was too frightening to talk about. Then I just felt I couldn’t trouble Mother and Father with what I could remember. First Mother was sick and Father was worried for her. Then Mother was gone and Father had given up."

"So you have been struggling with all of this on your own?"

"Yes. Merenwen, I am so frightened. I keep having images of this ghostly figure stabbing me with a blade of some kind. But at the same time I don’t think it was me. I have this mark on my chest, that is more like a scar, but how could this specter have wounded me? I was in my room that night, warm and safe, or so I thought. But then I felt as though I was out doors, and it was cold and damp. I remember feeling frightened and feeling like someone who made me feel safe was missing."

"Is that all you have seen? Was it only while you were ill that you have felt all of this?" asked Merenwen.

"No, since then my dreams are haunted by reminders of that night, with the specters all around me. I wake up from the dreams with the scar on my chest hurting. And during the day I seem to just blank out more and more. I remember only vague images from these times. A sense of traveling in strange places, needing to go somewhere that I do not want to go to. There is a weight about my neck, it feels so very heavy at times, like a large stone. I hear whispering, I do not know what is being said but it feels evil." Linwe paused here trying to make more sense of her thoughts. "When I had me relapse I remember images of darkness and fire, feelings of horror, despair, and a sense of great loss. I wish it would all go away." Sighed Linwe sadly.

Merenwen took a deep breath then said, "Linwe, do you recall my telling you that Elves have a gift for seeing different places and different times?"

"Yes"

"Linwe, I think you have this gift."

"But Hobbits don’t do that." Protested Linwe in disbelief.

"But my dear, you are not an average Hobbit. Your very life has its start with the aid of Elvish lore. It is possible that what I did to insure your birth may have worked a little to well, and you have been instilled with some distinctly Elvish qualities."

"Then can you help me make sense of what it is I am seeing?" asked Linwe feeling a measure of hope.

"I am afraid I can’t, Little One. Understanding starts with the one having the vision, being at least somewhat familiar with what they are seeing. You seem to be seeing places you have never been. But don’t lose heart" said Merenwen at the sight of Linwe’s crestfallen face. "It could be that in time there will be some event that makes it all fall into place. Or perhaps the visions will simply stop occurring, and as time goes by you will not be bothered by the memory of them so much."

I hope this all ends soon, Merenwen, I do not think I can endure much more of this, not after losing Mummy and Papa. Were it not for you I would feel very much alone. How long can you stay?"

"That I have not yet decided."

"Merenwen, when you go back to Rivendell, do you think I might go with you? I have no one else here, no one I feel close to. I feel there is nothing for me here so I should like to leave with you. I would like to roam the wilderness with you, and see Rivendell." Linwe’s eyes were filled with hope for this plan.

"I don’t know if that would be possible. I told you and your parents, when l I last visited, that the time of the Elves in Middle Earth is drawing to a close. Many of my kin have already left. One day I too shall leave, then where will you be? Should I leave you then, all alone in Rivendell?"

"I don’t think I could feel anymore alone in empty Rivendell, than I do here. But maybe I could go with you to the Undying lands."

"I wish you could, but your place is here with your own people, not with Elves."

"But I have no one here!" Exclaimed Linwe, standing up, tears spilling down her cheeks. "My world was Mother, Father and you! Now I have lost Mother and Father, soon I shall lose you and I will be left without friends or family!" With that Linwe fell back to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest, she buried her face in her skirts and sobbed.

Merenwen moved to Linwe’s side and wrapped her arms around this Hobbit she held so dear, then speaking in Elvish said "Be at peace, Linwe Taralom, all will be well in the end."

~~~~~

The following morning Linwe rose early to go and meet Merenwen by the brook. Linwe had wanted to stay the night with Merenwen, but Merenwen insisted that it would be better if Linwe went back to Brandy Hall. If Linwe stayed, she would only cause Esmeralda and Saradoc to worry, and Merenwen did not wish for anyone to know that she was there. Linwe went back to the hall with the promise of meeting Merenwen the next morning.

It was a bright clear morning that looked to be the beginning to a pleasantly warm day. Esmeralda had packed Linwe a picnic large enough for two or three Hobbits. Saradoc stood by warning her as he did every day before she set out, to be watchful, there were big folk roaming the Shire doing harm where they could. Caught up in her own thoughts, Linwe failed to notice the way Esmeralda and Saradoc treated her more as a beloved daughter than a guest.

Merenwen was waiting when Linwe arrived at the tree. Upon seeing her, Linwe ran the last few yards and into Merenwen’s arms. "Oh Merenwen! I woke this morning fearful that yesterday was nothing but a dream."

"I assure you I am no dream, speaking of which, did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I am afraid the shadows lurked as they always do, but for the most part I slept well."

"I am glad to hear it." Now spotting Linwe’s pack Merenwen asked, "What is that you have brought with you?"

"Oh! Esmeralda made me bring this; it is more food than I eat in a week, so you must help me eat this. We can have a picnic and talk and just be together for all of the day. I must warn you though, Saradoc gave me stern warning to be back at Brandy Hall, well before dark."

"I will see that you do."

Merenwen and Linwe did as planned, they ate and they talked. The discussed a variety of things, some important and some not so important. Early in the afternoon, Linwe yawned a great yawn. "Linwe, dear, you look as though you could use a bit of rest. Why don’t you lean against me and I will sing to you as I did when you were a child."

"All right, Merenwen, that does sound nice."

With Merenwen leaning back against the tree and Linwe leaning against Merenwen, Linwe was soon asleep, with the sound of Merenwen’s voice filling her ears and dreams. For the first time in months, Linwe’s dreams were filled with light rather than looming shadow.

It was late in the afternoon when Linwe finally awoke. As Linwe reluctantly opened her eyes, she said "If only I could keep sleeping and stay in such peaceful dreams."

"I take it you rested well?" said Merenwen with a smile.

"Yes I did. I think your songs held the darkness at bay."

"And now, do you feel any shadows?"

"I am afraid so. Though I feel stronger and better able to deal with them."

"Well that is something then." Said Merenwen.

Linwe looked about her. "It’s late in the day. I think I will go to the brook and wash up before heading back to Brandy Hall." With that Linwe rose up and walked over to the brook. There she washed her hands and then soaking her handkerchief in the water she washed her face, taking pleasure in the way the icy water made her skin tingle.

As Linwe was washing up, Merenwen came and stood close by, taking in the early spring beauty of the Shire. Inhaling the fragrances of spring, Merenwen said, "This is a lovely, peaceful place. I think I will enjoy my visit here very much. Perhaps tomorrow you and I can take a long walk, so that I may see more of it."

"I think I would like that." Said Linwe, coming to stand next to Merenwen "I guess it’s time I gather my things and return to Brandy Hall. Are you sure that you are going to be all right out here? Is there anything I can get you to help you pass the night more comfortably?"

"I am, and will be, just fine, thank you."

"I wish you would come to Brandy Hall with me. There are entrances hardly anyone uses, we could sneak you in, no one would be the wiser."

"I appreciate the thought, Linwe, but I am quite content with what I have. Now, it is time for you to return. Esmeralda and Saradoc must be starting to worry."

"Perhaps so," said Linwe, turning and walking towards the tree and retrieving her now much lighter pack. Linwe rested the straps of the pack on her shoulders, then turned to Merenwen, "Will you walk with me at least to the edge of the grove to where the path starts?"

"I would be happy to." Said Merenwen and the two started walking in companionable silence. About half way across the short distance, Linwe stumbled. Merenwen reached out and took hold of Linwe, just barely able to keep her from falling. "Are you all right?" asked Merenwen.

Linwe shook her head a bit. "Yes, at least I think… Oh!" Linwe started to sway on her feet. Merenwen could see that Linwe’s eyes were wide but they did not seem to be seeing what was in front of her now.

Merenwen dropped to her knees and took Linwe’s face in her hands, then in Elvish demanded "Linwe Taralom, what is it? What do you see?"

"Too many eyes… too fast… can’t get away…SAM!" Linwe’s eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed into Merenwen’s arms.

Chapter Eleven

The last sliver of the sun could be seen just above the horizon as Esmeralda left Brandy Hall by one of the lesser-used entrances. Linwe was still not home and Esmeralda had a feeling that it would be better if she slipped out to look for Linwe alone.

Esmeralda took the path she had watched Linwe take that morning. She was coming upon a grove of trees, when a tall figure emerged from the trees walking along the path. Esmeralda stopped for a moment staring in complete surprise, her mind taking in snatches of what her eyes were seeing. A beautiful Elvish woman, with golden hair seeming to glow in the near darkness, stood before her, and in her arms, the woman held a very pale and limp Linwe. Suddenly recalling the tale Lila had told her of Linwe’s birth, Esmeralda heard herself calling out "Merenwen Sirfalas?"

"Please help me!" exclaimed Merenwen. "Linwe has collapsed, she needs to be where it is warm."

"Of course. I am Esmeralda, her cousin and Mistress of Brandy Hall. Should I go fetch someone to carry her the rest of the way?"

"I can manage. It will be faster if I do. Just show me the way."

Merenwen and Esmeralda turned and headed towards Brandy Hall. As they walked Esmeralda said, "Lila told me about you before she passed away. She knew she was dying and thought someone else needed to know. I was honored that she trusted me when she told me, now I am grateful as well."

"As am I." Said Merenwen. "I would have turned to anyone here in the Shire in order to get Linwe the help she needs, but now I might be able to go un-noticed. I fear if my presence is known that it will create too much of a stir."

"You would be right on that count," replied Esmeralda

"I will carry Linwe as far as the hall but then I must leave, so that no one sees me. Would you be kind enough to name a place where you can leave messages, to let me know how Linwe is doing?" asked Merenwen

"I can do that, but wouldn’t you rather stay with Linwe?"

"I would like that more than anything, dear Esmeralda, but it would be difficult I think to hide an Elf in a Hobbit house. Someone would be sure to find out."

Esmeralda chuckled, "As Mistress of this Hall I can assure you that there is one place, where you will be most comfortable and no one will know you are there. Many years ago one of the Masters of the Hall had big folk here as guests on a regular basis. He had a wing of guestrooms built to accommodate his larger guests. The wing is closed off by a door, no one goes there now but to do the occasional dusting. We can put you and Linwe in one of the rooms there. I will tell the house hold that she has fallen ill with a mysterious fever that I fear may be contagious, and insist that I alone will care for her."

"I think that sounds like a very good plan. I accept your invitation."

Esmeralda led Merenwen to a darkened part of the Hall, and through a door that was large enough for Merenwen to walk through. Once inside Esmeralda quickly showed her guest to a room where Esmeralda wasted no time in lighting several candles. As the room grew brighter Merenwen could see that it was a spacious sitting room furnished in comfortable looking furnishings in both a larger size to accommodate big folk, and a few smaller pieces to accommodate Hobbits. To the left, as one entered the room, there was a wide archway draped in deep rich red velvet. This opened into a bedroom where Merenwen could make out the looming shadow of a rather large bed. "I think these rooms will serve us well." Esmeralda was saying as she continued to go about lighting candles. She then walked towards the bedroom "Why don’t you bring Linwe in here and settle her on this bed for now. I will have Saradoc bring a couple of smaller beds later, for Linwe and myself, then you will be able to sleep here."

Merenwen settled Linwe gently to the bed, then the two women set about freeing her of the pack that was still hanging from her shoulders and her cloak. It was while Esmeralda was then unfastening Linwe’s cloak that she discovered a swelling on the back of Linwe’s neck. "What is this?" Asked Esmeralda in surprise, she immediately pushed back Linwe’s wild mane of loose curls, to get a better look. "Oh dear!" she exclaimed.

"What is it?" asked Merenwen coming around to stand behind Esmeralda, to get a better look.

"It looks like an absolutely black bruise. "

Merenwen looked down at the back of Linwe’s neck then reached out and touched the mark. "It is cold and swollen too."

"How could she have got this?" asked Esmeralda

Merenwen hesitated a moment before answering, "I’m not sure."

"You say you are not sure, does that mean you have an idea?"

Merenwen looked into Esmeralda’s deep green eyes and smiled reassuringly. "Perhaps, but I need to think about it a while before I can try to explain. In the mean time. Go to your husband, tell him I am here but tell no one else."

Merenwen laid a hand on top of the swelling on Linwe’s neck, then with deep concentration tried to ‘feel’ the wound with her mind. It felt dark and venomous, though not deadly, more paralyzing like a spider bite might give its prey. She could sense Linwe was still breathing and her heart still beating but both were faint, if one were to just look at her, one would most likely believe she were dead.

Esmeralda quickly returned from her appointed errands, with Saradoc in tow. Within an hour Linwe was carefully settled into a comfortable bed that was her size. The house hold staff had been told that Linwe was ill, possibly contagious and that Esmeralda would be caring for Linwe in the usually unused portion of the Hall.

"How much more can we endure?" Esmeralda said wearily as she arranged a quilt on a rack, to warm by the fire.

Saradoc went to his wife and pulled her into the comforting embrace of his arms. "It will be all right my pretty one." He murmured into her ear. "Your little wanderer here will get well soon and the lads will come home."

Esmeralda sighed. "It is getting harder to believe that. Each day that passes with no explanation of where they have gone makes it harder to believe they will ever come home."

A log shifted in the fire place sending sparks up into the chimney. Merenwen spoke, her voice barely loud enough to be heard over the crackling of the shifted wood. "I can tell you."

Esmeralda pulled away from Saradoc and turned her astonished gaze to Merenwen. "What?"

"I can tell you some of what has happened to your son and his companions. I can not tell you where they are now, and I don’t know if what I can say will bring you any comfort." Said Merenwen

"Please tell us anything you can," begged Esmeralda. "If all you could tell me is that they have died it would be better than simply not knowing anything at all."

Merenwen took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. "I was in Rivendell in January. While I was there, I was told about Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam arriving in October. Frodo had been injured on the way and had been brought in by one of our Rangers. You son, your nephew and Sam arrived several days later with Strider. Frodo recovered from his injuries and the four of them stayed in Rivendell until late December when they left again with Strider, Gandalf the Gray, and three others."

Esmeralda frowned and asked "But where did they go?"

"I am afraid I can not tell you that. I fear I have told you more than I should have to begin with."

"But you told us barely anything, surely you can tell us more."

"No, Esmeralda, I can’t. I can give you no more explanations. All I can offer you is that small comfort, that as of late December they were alive and well."

~~~~~~

Through Linwe was unconscious, she was not without a sort of awareness. It was dark and cold, and she hurt. It felt as though a burning knife had gone into her neck. She tried to move to get away from the pain, but her arms and legs would not move so much as an inch. In the darkness of her mind, frightening images taunted her. Vile leering creatures with whips stripping her of her clothes. A large, black monster, spider-like in form, loomed over her wrapping her in its dreadful chords. She felt dizzy, hot, then cold. Thoughts spinning in her mind. Every muscle in her body screamed out, and all the while, the ever present burning in her neck. In her mind a voice cried over and over, Sam!

~~~~~

Light

A bright, warm, welcoming light.

Linwe struggled towards that light. Trying desperately to escape the shadows of her mind. She felt like she had been lost in a world of darkness for many days. The darkness had not been complete. There had been a sooty red glow from at times. She had seen horrible, leering faces of creatures that whipped her. There were small metal balls on the ends of the whip, she knew because she felt them as they lashed across her bare skin breaking through and leaving stingy bloody furrows. A whimper escaped her lips. Such terrible pain for anyone to endure.

But now there was light. A true, bright, inviting light. Like sunshine on a summers day. That way was the way to safety, she kept struggling towards that light.

~~~~~

"I think she is coming around." Esmeralda said. She sat on the edge of Linwe’s bed, bathing Linwe’s pale face with a cool, damp, cloth. Two days had passed since Linwe had collapsed and had been carried back to Brandy Hall in Merenwen’s arms.

Merenwen came over and looked. Sun light spilled across Linwe’s face and hair setting off the fiery streaks that wound their way through her otherwise dark hair. Linwe’s complexion shown like marble but Merenwen thought she detected a hint of a warm glow. Merenwen bent forward and laid a hand gently on Linwe’s brow. Linwe stirred and her eyelids fluttered as though she were struggling to open them once more. Merenwen smiled, "I believe you are right. I think our wanderer may stay with us for a while longer still."

~~~~~

With one last great effort Linwe pulled herself upward and opened her eyes to a dazzling brightness. "Good afternoon." said a gentle voice. Linwe knew that voice but the source of it was lost to her in the light. Linwe tried to speak but found her lips mouth was parched. "Don’t try to speak." Said the voice, this was followed by a shadow falling over Linwe’s face. Linwe flinched a little, she did not like shadows, but then this one was not so dark as the ones she had just escaped. A gentle hand touched her cheek, "Don’t be frightened, you are safe." Linwe relaxed at the comforting words of the voice.

Linwe blinked her eyes a few times, her vision cleared a little. There was a face before her. It was a round face surrounded by a few soft, silvering brown curls. The features were still somewhat blurry but Linwe could still see a somewhat familiar smile. "Esmeralda?" she whispered.

"Hush child, you have been asleep for two days, and very sick, I think having your eyes open is enough activity for you at the moment." Said Esmeralda, her voice was authoritative yet gentle. "Merenwen and I thought you might be waking up soon, so I have had a pot of broth warming by the fire. Nod your head if you think you would like to have some."

Linwe smiled slightly and nodded her head once. It felt good to be in the light again.

~~~~~

It was late in the night. Merenwen sat in a chair at Linwe’s bedside watching her sleep. Four days had passed since Linwe had opened her eyes. In those four days Linwe had eaten little, spoken less, and slept often, usually fitfully. Tonight Merenwen watched Linwe’s steady breathing. At the moment Linwe appeared to be free of what ever night mares seemed to be haunting her the last several days. Merenwen had her suspicions of where the nightmares came from, but she did not ask Linwe for any sort of confirmation, to do so would have been pointless. Most of the time when Linwe was awake she sat staring off into space, sometimes seeming to comfort herself with a softly whispered song.

Merenwen sighed and wondered not for the first time if she had made a dreadful mistake the day she showed herself to Lila and offered the heart broken Hobbitess help in having a baby. Merenwen felt responsible for so many of the strange and painful things Linwe had been through, and for what Linwe was going through now. Merenwen knew much of the battles that were being fought in other parts of Middle Earth. She knew that all hope for everyone who called the beautiful land home was resting on the shoulders of one small Hobbit, and no one could be sure if still lived. Merenwen believed he did, she had only to look to Linwe to see that, but Merenwen also feared what might happen to Linwe if that other Hobbit failed.

Merenwen continued looking upon the face of this small person she had helped bring into the world, and tried to push her worries to one side of her mind. To Merenwen, Linwe’s features were a striking blend of both her parents. She had a slightly longer straight nose like Marmadas, and Lila’s delicately pointed chin. During her stay in Brandy Hall, Merenwen had been able to unobtrusively observe more Hobbits and new for a fact that Linwe was unusually small and slender for one of her kind. The happy, loving folk of the Shire were almost always quite round, and found this shape to be the most desirable. This well known view of what should be had led Linwe to feel self conscious about her own delicate build. Merenwen wondered if this too was a result of the measures she herself had taken a little over fifty years ago. Merenwen sighed knowing that if she had it all to do over again she would likely do it all again. Lila and Marmadas had been two of her dearest friends, Merenwen had delighted in the way they found such great joy in the little things in life. It had pleased Merenwen greatly to return their friendship by helping them have their one child, and Linwe’s birth was one of Merenwen’s most cherished memories in her many long years of life. Linwe’s new baby perfection had captured Merenwen’s heart and she had spent many hours transfixed by that small, pink, bundle of life.

~~~~~

If worries for Linwe and the four missing lads were not enough, Saradoc and Esmeralda had worries for the Shire as well. Lotho Sackville-Baggins had secretly bought much of the Shire, then he hired disgruntled Hobbits and men to collect what the farmers on those lands grew. Greedy for more, Lotho’s henchmen then started going to farms that were not on his lands. It had been done quietly at first with no one knowing that Lotho was behind it all. When the roughians tried to bully Paladin Took into giving up what the folk of Tookland had grown, Paladin had fought back, but by then Lotho had large numbers of men in the Shire and they laid siege to Tookland. Paladin had managed to get a warning message to Saradoc before his people were totally sealed off from the rest of the Shire. It had been several months since anyone had heard from any of the Tooks in Tookland.

Saradoc organized his own people and managed to hide much of their own stores before Lotho’s bullies came to Buckland. Saradoc ordered his people to peacefully give into the demands of the roughians for the sake of their own safety. The hidden stores were secretly shared out and the Hobbits of Buckland survived the winter. Now Saradoc was faced with the dilemma of how they would get that years needed planting done and keep the produce out of the hands of the roughians.

~~~~~

Linwe felt herself drifting in and out of unconsciousness. She had lost all track of the passage of time and only had a vague awareness of her surroundings. One moment she would find herself tucked snugly into a comfortable bed. Then she would drift off and find herself in a dark world of suffering. She felt cold despite having her bed set close to the fire and being covered with warmed blankets. She felt pain but sensed it was not her own. She felt a great weight about her neck that grew heavier with every step made by feet that were not her own. She felt like a hunted animal. It was looking for her. The burning eye was looking for her. She heard whispering, evil mutterings that ate that burned her soul. She felt despair, and great suffering, but was not sure if it was her own or that of another.

With each passing day she spent more time in the place of darkness, and less in the comforting light. Each day the confusing sensation of feeling pain and suffering as though it were her own but at the same time aware it was the suffering of another, increased. She became a prisoner of the other’s tormented mind. Her awareness was bound to the awareness of another, she felt and shared the struggle of the other. She tried to help the awareness, to give comfort, but the other one did not seem to be aware of her.

~~~~~

Esmeralda let herself into the rooms where she had spent the last fourteen days, in seclusion with Merenwen and Linwe. She woke up that morning to dark stormy clouds looming ominously from horizon to horizon. She looked in on Linwe, who stirred and whimpered in her sleep. Linwe always slept now, Esmeralda could not call the glassy eyed stare Linwe often sat with, as being awake. The lass was obviously no longer aware of her surroundings. Esmeralda knew that if Linwe did not soon start to improve she would soon pass away. That thought broke Esmeralda’s heart. She had promised Lila that she watch out for Linwe. In the months since Linwe had first come to Brandy Hall, Esmeralda had come to care for the rather unusual Hobbitess a great deal. Not only because Linwe was the daughter of her dear friend Lila, but for Linwe’s own unique qualities themselves. Over the months, Esmeralda had noticed that at times Linwe seemed to have all of the sweet innocence and delight of a child, then at other times would show wisdom and understanding surpassing that of almost any Hobbit Esmeralda had ever known, even her own grandmother.

After checking to be sure that Linwe was relatively safe, Esmeralda left to go fetch the provisions she, Merenwen, and Linwe would need for the day. She would take the time to talk with the heads of the staff that kept things running through out the expansive ancestral home of the Brandybucks, and address any matters that required the attention of the Mistress of the Hall.

It had taken Esmeralda a little longer than usual to get back to the rooms where she, Merenwen and Linwe had been cloistered. A family from one of the outlying areas of Buckland had come to take refuge in Brandy Hall, when a roughian had started abusing the farmer’s daughter. The farmer crept up behind his daughter’s attacker and hit the man on the back of the head with a shovel, knocking him unconscious before the man could do more than hit the young lass a few times. Fearing for his own life and the life of his family, the farmer quickly took his family and traveled across country by dark of night, leaving before the would be attacker woke up. Esmeralda saw that the family was settled, all the while thinking to herself that if too many more families came to take refuge in the Hall, she would have no choice but to open up the wing where Linwe lay unaware, and would thus have to send Merenwen away for fear of anyone discovering the Elf there.

When Esmeralda returned she found Merenwen awake and sitting at Linwe’s bed side, with a grim expression on her face. "What is it, Merenwen, has Linwe taken a turn for the worse?"

Merenwen looked up "She seems no different, but I do have a feeling that something is going to happen."

"Is that good or bad?" Asked Esmeralda, half afraid of what the answer would be.

"I don’t know, though I think before this day is over we will know if she will recover or not."

"Can you think of anything that we might do for her?"

Merenwen smiled sadly, "I am afraid I can not."

Esmeralda sighed then set the basket of food she had brought with her to the floor. "I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Merenwen. I have just had to settle another family that had to flee from their home. Food is running low, and we have more than most Hobbits in the Shire. Saradoc has sent one lad after another to try and get past the roughians to Great Smials, and no one has. I fear for my brother and all of the families under his care, they must be near starving. When I sleep my dreams are filled with images of Merry in all matter of danger. I fear I will never see any of those boys again. I’ve lost Lila then Marmadas, and I fear I am failing them. Lila was sure that I would be able to help Linwe continue on after she and Marmadas were gone, and now I am close to loosing her as well."

Merenwen reached out from where she sat nearby, and took one of Linwe’s hands into her own. "I wish I could offer you reassurance for all of your fears. All I can tell you is that you have not failed Lila and Marmadas. You have done all that anyone can do."

Esmeralda sighed, "I suppose you are right."

Merenwen smiled, "I know I am right."

"We still have hope, don’t we? Until we have had news of otherwise, Merry and the others may still return. We may come up with some way of getting the roughians out of the Shire. And as long as Linwe is breathing she may yet recover."

"Yes, we still have all that to hope for. You truly have an indomitable spirit, Esmeralda Brandybuck." Merenwen said with admiration.

Esmeralda smiled wryly "I suppose it is better than the alternative."

~~~~~

It was complete. Linwe’s awareness had been over come by the awareness of the Other. To Linwe it was like being locked in a small room filled with dream like images. Some very clear, others warped and vague. Linwe huddled there, watching and waiting, feeling much of what the Other felt. The Other was in great pain, tired, and struggling. Linwe wept as her heart broke from the torment the Other suffered.

~~~~~

Merenwen and Esmeralda could only watch as Linwe slipped into an apparent deep sleep. Soon she started moving her head from side to side and muttering to herself. Merenwen leaned in close to her to listen "Help me Sam? Help me Sam! Hold my hand! I can’t stop it!"

"What is it?" asked Esmeralda, "What is she saying?"

"It is nothing, just some delirious ramblings." Merenwen replied. Esmeralda did not notice that the Elf was being evasive.

Suddenly Linwe started tossing and turning about the bed. The struggles became fiercer. Merenwen managed to get a tight hold of Linwe, so that she could not move around as much, and possibly get hurt. Linwe fought even harder against Merenwen’s arms, in a voice not quite her own she growled out ‘Down! Down’. In the small part of her mind, where Linwe hid, she felt the struggle of the Other who was trying to keep possession of the weight.

The struggle continued for several moments then stopped as suddenly as it had started. Linwe stopped fighting to be free of Merenwen’s arms, she lay quietly, breathing heavily. From deep within her mind, Linwe could sense the other presence as He moved forward to the unknown goal, but now she sensed a change coming over Him. She sensed evil finally starting to take over, after many long months of resistance. Linwe tried to break free of her mental prison. She tried to scream. She was desperate not to let the darkness overtake her/Him. All she was able to do was to barely move her lips and let out a nearly silent "No!"

Powerless, Linwe could only watch as the darkness prevailed. He had lost his battle and she wept for Him. So long He had fought to resist the poison whispers. So long he struggled to carry the ever increasing weight. In the end He had no more strength to fight with. Linwe felt the utter despair of his soul as at last he was overcome.

Her grief was interrupted, was interrupted as she felt fiery anger and jealousy erupt within Him.

Linwe’s body started to fight against Merenwen’s arms. She appeared to be fighting against Merenwen and an unseen attacker at the same time. Linwe let out a cry and clutched her right hand to herself, as though it were grievously wounded. Linwe’s struggles stopped. She once again lay still in Merenwen’s arms.

Linwe felt the warm glow of peace spread through her body from the one whose thoughts she shared. His struggle was over. In the end his loss was his triumph. The evil was unmade. A smile touched Linwe’s lips, as she drifted into a quiet sleep.

Chapter Twelve

A bleak November had settled on the Shire.

Many months had passed since Linwe’s ‘illness’ in March. She now bore a pale mark around her finger on her right hand. Occaisionally she had the oddest feeling that her finger was no longer there.

Linwe quickly regained her health after that episode and was also happier than she had been since her first few days after arriving at Brandy Hall, though she still had quiet moments of melancholy and even deep sadness.

Merenwen left Brandy Hall when it became apparent that Linwe would now make a full recovery. Merenwen had an idea of what she had witnessed and knew she should tell Lord Elrond about it. She slipped away without telling anyone of her plans.

The passing months saw much change in the Shire. The trouble Lotho Sackville-Baggins had started to stir as soon as he moved into Bag End had steadily escalated. The Shire was now over run with Big Folk who thought nothing of abusing the peaceful Hobbits. By November no one had actually seen Lotho in a long time. His own mother had been imprisoned by his hired henchmen, and there were references to a person or people known only as "The Boss", "The Chief", or "Sharkey". No one knew who this was exactly, many assumed this was Lotho using some terrible new names, but others suspected that maybe Lotho had been imprisoned or worse.

By the one year anniversary of the disappearance of the four Hobbits, had arrived, few in the Shire remembered or even cared. The entire Shire was looking at spending a winter, wrought in starvation, because The Boss, The Chief, or Sharkey, what ever you wanted to call him or them, had taken almost all of the harvest from the past growing season. It has started with Lotho telling his tenant farmers something about sharing out that made no sense to the framers. But at that point the farmers were afraid of Lotho and would say and do nothing to stop him. About the time that folk stopped seeing Lotho about the Shire, his henchmen were taking from everyone in the Shire whether they were Lotho’s tenants or not.

On October 6^th Linwe was confined to her bed yet again, though she was not so ill as she had been in the past. Mostly she was weak and felt cold. Only Esmeralda noticed that it had been exactly one year ago that day, that Linwe had collapsed in her room and developed the Mark on her chest that seemed would never fade away.

The autumn months had been dreary that year. So when Esmeralda rose before dawn the morning of November second, she had no real hope of that day’s weather being different in any way.

If the weather showed little sign of changing, news came to Brandy Hall that morning, which gave everyone, hopes that the prospects of the Shire would. Esmeralda and Saradoc were sitting in their private dining room, before breakfast, discussing the needs of the Hall for that day, when Hob Hayward was shown in by one of the maids. "Hob!" exclaimed Saradoc "What brings you to Brandy Hall?"

"Begging your pardon, Sir and Mrs. Brandybuck, but I come with a message for you form your son, young Meriadoc." Said Hob as he carried a folded piece of paper to the table and handed it to Saradoc.

Questions started to pour from Esmeralda’s mouth, "You have seen Merry? And what of the others, were they with him? Is he okay? Why didn’t he come himself? When can we expect him?"

"Esmeralda" broke in Saradoc, " I think we should excuse ourselves to another room, read Merry’s letter, then we can ask him any questions if we have any."

"You are right dear. Hob, I want you to settle yourself down here, and I will send Daisy in with some breakfast for you."

A few minutes later Saradoc and Esmeralda were in his study reading Merry’s letter together.

Dear Mother and Father,

I wanted to write and let you know that I am safely returned to the Shire, as are Pippin, Frodo, and Sam. I am sorry for any worry we may have caused, but Frodo and Sam had an errand to run

We wanted to come to Brandy Hall right away, but we have found that the situation in the Shire to be in such a state that we felt it necessary to waste no time in taking matters up with Lotho Sackville-Baggins. We are now on our way to Hobbiton as you are reading this.

Please try not to worry. Frodo insists that we try to settle matters without actually killing anyone. I hope to return home soon.

Your loving son,

Meriadoc Brandybuck

Knight of Rohan and Holdwine of the Shire

  and Pippin and I thought we should go along.

"Killing! Knight of Rohan…! Oh Saradoc! What have they got themselves into?"

"I wish I knew my dear. I suggest we go talk with Hob, and see if he can tell us more."

Saradoc and Esmeralda left the study and met up with Linwe in the passage. "Linwe! There is good news this morning!" Exclaimed Esmeralda "Merry and the other lads have returned to the Shire."

"That is wonderful news. Are they here?"

"I am afraid not." Answered Saradoc "Merry sent a message with Hob Hayward this morning, but it raises more questions than it answers. We do know that they are on their way to Hobbiton now, to take up matters with Lotho Sackville-Baggins. Hob is in the dining room now, we were just going in there to talk with him."

Once in the dining room and settled about the table, Saradoc said to Hob "Well, we have read the letter from Merry, but he tells us very little. Could you tell us what has happened?"

"Gladly sir, gladly. It was just after sundown yesterday, when the four travelers arrived at the gate on the bridge, demanding to be let in. All four of them were dressed funny, in armor, carrying shields and swords. There was a lot of angry talk between the travelers and the guards about all of the rules and such, then young Merry and the others forced their way in. They spent the night in the guardhouse, sharing what food they had, with a bunch of us. I told them what all has been going on since they had up and left. The others thought I should not, scared they were. Bit I took one look at those lads looking so splendid in their foreign gear, and I figured here was our chance to finally take back the Shire. This morning the four of them decided that they had best make their way to Bywater and see what might be done."

"Saradoc, you must go after them and stop them." Esmeralda cried in alarm. "They will be killed for sure!"

"No dear," Saradoc said thoughtfully, "I don’t think I will. I have a feeling that this is just what is needed to save the Shire. Hob, go out and spread the word quietly around Buckland. I want everyone to know that those lads are back and what they are going off to do."

Old Hob cackled, "That is already done, sir. Why I expect word has already reached the furthest edge of the west farthing."

Rumors of the four travelers progress towards Bywater, rushed back into Buckland. One set of rumors would contradict another set of rumors. It was an anxious two days before any reliable news arrived, in the form of another letter from Merry.

Dear Mother and Father,

I wanted to inform you that the ruffians are being run out of the Shire. Sharkey is dead, as is Lotho Sackville-Baggins, who had been under Sharkey’s control for sometime.

Pippin and I hope to be at Brandy Hall, sometime on the sixth, as we make our way about the Shire, hunting down any remaining ruffians. Frodo and Sam are staying in Hobbiton to help with the start of rebuilding and repairing what was lost or damaged.

Your loving Son,

Captain Meriadoc Brandybuck

Knight of Rohan and

Holdwine of the Shire

~~~~~

True to his word, Merry, in the company of Pippin, arrived at Brandy Hall, on the afternoon of the sixth, just in time for tea. The entire Hall turned out, as well almany neighbors form the surrounding area. Everyone wanted to see and welcome the pair of strangely dressed and considerably taller Hobbits.

Esmeralda, weeping tears of joy, took both of the travelers into her arms at once and refused to let got for the longest time. This was followed by Merry and Pippin being welcomed back by one Hobbit after another. As Esmeralda stood back and watched she remembered Linwe and found her off in a corner of the main Hall where everyone was gathered, looking shy and nervous in such a large crowd. "Come Linwe, Merry has not seen you since he was a wee lad. He adored you then and will be very happy to see you now." Said Esmeralda, taking Linwe by the hand and pulling her to her feet.

"But Esmeralda, there are so many others here, I am sure it would be better if I waited until later."

"Nonsense, now come along!"

The crowd around Merry and Pippin parted to make way for Esmeralda and Linwe. "Merry," called Esmeralda as she neared the tall pair, "I have someone here you have not seen since you were a young lad, and Pippin has never met at all though she is cousin to you both." With that Esmeralda pulled Linwe from behind her. When Merry saw Linwe, his eyes let up. "Linwe!" he cried sweeping her up into his arms "You are as pretty as ever if not a bit smaller."

"I am no smaller than I ever was, it is you who have grown nearly as tall as the big folk. Now put me down!" Laughed Linwe.

"Pippin, this is Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche, daughter of Lila and Marmadas Gamwhiche, and granddaughter of old Dodinas Brandybuck. I was but seven years old the first time I saw Linwe, I fell in love with her from the moment I saw her and followed her around everyday of her visit."

"Yes" Said Esmeralda chuckling "It was the longest time in Merry’s life that he was able to stay out of trouble."

Pippin took Linwe’s hands in his own and smiled mischievously. "Would you mind terribly, if I fell in love with you as well? I promise to follow you around for days and days." He said with a gleam in his Tookish Green eyes.

"Now Pip, I saw her first so by rights she is mine. In fact I think I should go ask her father for her hand now. Where are Marmadas and Lila? I don’t think I have seen them yet." Said Merry turning to Linwe just in time to see her eyes fill with tears.

With her chin quivering as she fought to hold back the tears, Linwe said "Mother and Father passed away a few months after you left."

"I am so sorry, Linwe." Merry said taking Linwe into his arms again.

~~~~~

The following morning, Merry went to his mother’s sitting room, where Esmeralda sat sewing. "Good morning, Mother." Merry said, while bending over to kiss her on the top of her head.

"Good morning dear. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes I did. It is good to be home again."

"It is good to have you home, my son." Tears started to well up in Esmeralda’s eyes.

"Where in Linwe this morning? I thought I might start following her around before Pippin has a chance to."

Esmeralda sighed "Meriadoc Brandybuck, how is it that you go off for a year, see and do all that you have seen and done, only to return and still be an impudent as ever?"

"‘Tis a gift my dear mother. Now I believe you were telling me where Linwe is."

"Linwe, is most likely out for a walk. She does that a lot. Ramble’s about Buckland keeping to herself."

Merry’s voice was low and touched with sadness when he spoke. "Linwe has taken the deaths of Lila and Marmadas very hard hasn’t she?"

"Yes she has, but that is not all she has had to deal with so much more. First there was leaving the only home she has ever known to come here. A few days after they arrived she became very ill, from what we never knew. Then she lost Lila and Marmadas as well, though he did not actually pass till about a month later. He loved Lila so much, and I think he tried to hold on for Linwe, but he just couldn’t. Then Linwe was dreadfully ill again soon after that."

"I can see the sadness in her eyes. I think if I looked long enough I would drown in it myself. Does it ever go away? Is she ever happy?"

"From time to time she appears to be happy. One would have to know her very well to see the undercurrent of sadness. You have to understand, that she is a very lonely girl. She has always been rather shy, and let very few people get near her. Her parents were all she felt she had, and I think now she feels lost without them. Then there is the fact this isn’t her home. She can not go back to Bree alone, so she is left with no choice but to stay here, feeling like a burdensome guest."

"Maybe a change of scenery is what she needs. What if Pippin and I were to take her to Hobbiton. She can stay with the Cotton’s. Their smaller home might be more comfortable to her. And there is more than enough for her to do there." Suggested Merry.

"There is a lot of work to be done, isn’t there."

"Yes, there is."

Esmeralda thought about Merry’s suggestion for a moment, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "Didn’t you say was in terrible condition?"

"Yes, it looks like animals have been living in it. Sam is sure it can be restored though."

"Merry, I think you have just the right idea. Linwe is a gifted healer in her own right. I think you should take her with you to help Healer Burrows care for the wounded from the battle. Then once they are all well, then maybe she would like to stay on and help restore Bag End."

"That she could." Agreed Merry, "Sam would might even consider her worthy of helping to restore the old place. And Linwe and Rosie would get along well together."

"As soon as Linwe returns, we will tell her our idea. She will most likely be reluctant at first, but I think between us we can convince her to go along with it."

Chapter Thirteen

Linwe found herself traveling once again, this time in the company of her two impudent cousins. Linwe liked traveling with Merry and Pippin, they told her funny stories, sang songs, and they told her of some of the wonders they had seen on their travels. They had pleasant traveling weather and arrived at Cotton farm late in the afternoon they day after they had set out from Brandy Hall. When they arrived at the modest but cozy Hobbit home, Sam happened to be sitting outside enjoying a pipe. "Merry! Pippin! We didn’t expect to see you back her for at least another week, what brings you back so soon?" asked Sam by way of greeting.

"We found a lovely gift for you sitting and doing very little at Brandy Hall." Said Pippin as the trio dismounted their ponies.

Merry stepped forward and with a deep bow said "Samwise Gamgee may I present to you, Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche daughter of Lila and Marmadas Gamwhiche of the Bree Gamwhiches."

Sam’s face lit up with a big smile. "Why that makes us cousins!"

"She is also of the Brandybuck and Took families, so she is my cousin, and Pippin’s and Frodo’s as well." Added Merry.

"Frodo’s cousin? Frodo and I share a cousin? Well this is a grand surprise. I hardly know what to say."

"You might welcome the poor lass." Said Pippin, "She has ridden a long way to be here."

"Of course, where are my manners, " Sam blushed and took both of Linwe’s hands in his own. "Welcome to Hobbiton, Linwe. I am glad you have come."

"Thank you Sam, I am happy to be here." Said Linwe sincerely.

"Mr. Frodo and I share a cousin, who would have thought of it." Sam could only stand there, holding Linwe’s hands and staring at her in wonder. Once more forgetting what he meant to do.

"Sam, you might want to take our cousin, into the house and show her a bit of hospitality, or have you forgotten how?" teased Merry.

"What? Oh yes, of course, come right in, everyone will be glad to meet you. It is a bit crowded here at the moment but knowing Mr. and Mrs. Cotton they will want you to stay as well."

Linwe was warmly received by Mrs. Cotton and Rosie with many assurances that she was more than welcome to say. "Come with me," said Rosie putting an arm around Linwe’s shoulder’s. "You can stay in my room with me, it will be like having a sister."

"I don’t know if I should." Linwe said bashfully.

"I am afraid that you have no real choice in the matter. You are family, Gamwhiches, Gamgees, and Cotton’s are all of the Longfather line, so you must stay with us. Besides there is no where else to go."

Rosie led Linwe down the hall and opened the door on a small bedroom. "It isn’t much, I am sure you had a larger room and all to yourself at Brandy Hall."

Linwe looked about her, a small smile touching her lips. "It is so much like my room at home, at our house in Bree. I had ruffled curtains on the my window, just as you do."

Linwe’s eyes became very round and filled with tears, her lower lip started to tremble all of which Rosie noticed. "You poor thing," said Rosie as she took Linwe into a tight hug "you must miss your home and your parents so much."

Linwe could only nod her head. "From now on, Linwe, you must think of me as not just another cousin, you have plenty of those with that lot you came in with, from now on you must think of me as your sister. I think you are in need of one, and I know I always wished to have one, so will you do that?"

Linwe smiled through her tears. "I think I would like that very much. I never even had any brothers."

"I think you will find Merry, Pippin, and Sam to be as protective as any brother could ever want to be. " Rosie said with a wry smile.

~~~~~

Frodo walked through the early evening light admiring the colorful rays of the setting sun danced across the sky. He inhaled deeply of the fresh autumn air that was redolent with the smells of wood smoke and dry leaves. At that moment his heart was filled with gratitude to be in the Shire. For a brief moment he could almost believe that the events of the last year were nothing but a nightmare. However the moment was all too brief, as Frodo walked towards the front door of the Cotton family home, thoughts of all that needed to be done to set the Shire to rights, demanded his attention once more.

It had been a long day for Frodo. He had spent it in what was left of the Ivy Inn, meeting with one person or group after another, from all parts of the Shire, getting reports on damage done and the needs of so many. Word had spread quickly of his being appointed Deputy Mayor of the Shire and folk from all over seemed determined to have him make even the smallest of decisions that many could just as easily make on their own and with little effort.

Frodo let out a weary sigh and opened the door of the old, Hobbit, farm house and let himself inside. Much to Frodo’s surprise and pleasure he was greeted by the cheery voices of Merry and Pippin. Immediately Frodo could feel the lifting of his spirits. "Merry! Pippin! What are you doing here? I thought you would be in Buckland or the North Farthing."

"There was a small change in plan," said Merry. "Mother had something she wanted me to bring here. She felt it would be more use here than back in Buckland."

"I am grateful to anyone offering any sort of assistance rather than asking for it." Said Frodo. "What is it that you have brought?"

"We will get to that in a bit. Mother sends you her love and I think father wishes to have a talk with you about all of this wandering off after Gandalf, and going places Hobbits have no business going to. He kept muttering something about how Bagginses used to be so well thought of."

"I think that is one lecture I shouldn’t mind listening to." Said Frodo with a smile, "I will have to make an effort to go visit sometime soon."

"Not until after you’ve gone to Great Smials." Said Pippin "My mother wants to see for herself that you have made it back in one piece, and my father wants to lecture you about leading Hobbits who are barely in their tweens off on foolish adventures."

"You didn’t happen to tell them that it was your own idea to go along, now did you?" asked Frodo wryly.

"If I had done that, I would still be at Great Smials myself, getting my own lecture, and you would still be trying to get the ruffians out of Bywater."

The main room of the Cotton home was filled with the comforting commotion of a loving though crowded house. Mrs. Cotton was bustling about the kitchen taking care of the final preparations for dinner, Farmer Cotton and his sons came in and joined the conversation with Frodo, Merry, Sam and Pippin. The entire scene was playing out in a warm glow of candle and fire light. All afternoon Frodo had been somewhat distracted by a pleasant tingling sensation running through him. When he stepped in the door of the Cotton home, he was dimly aware of a ringing in his ears. He had ignored it at first but as he stood silently to one side of the room, listening to the conversation, he became aware that the tingling sensation and the melodic chiming was getting stronger. After a while Frodo was so distracted by the ringing and the tingling, he was not hearing what everyone else was talking about. He took no notice when Farmer Cotton was informed that another person had come to stay at his already crowded house. Frodo was lost in his own thoughts when a movement at the entrance to the hallway, that lead to the bedrooms, caught his attention. Frodo looked that way and saw Rosie come into the room, then to his surprise another Hobbitess came in after Rosie, this one very slender by Hobbit standards, and barely taller than a Hobbit child. Just then she turned and her gaze met his.

~~~~~

After Linwe had her things put away in Rosie’s room, she and Rosie decided to go back to the main living room. Linwe was feeling happy about where she was, in fact she felt sort of tingly all over and there was the loveliest sound of tiny bells chiming in her ears. Linwe followed Rosie as she stepped from the dim light of the hallway in the much larger room where Mrs. Cotton was getting the evening meal. Linwe looked around the rest of the room and found the long table in the center to be surrounded by a much larger group than what had been there when she had left with Rosie. Linwe concluded the new arrivals to be the rest of Rosie’s family.

Merry was standing a few feet from Linwe with his back to her, no one had noticed her come in. Then Merry moved away towards the table, when Linwe looked past where her cousin had been standing just a moment before, she found herself looking straight into the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

Time seemed to come to a complete stand still. Linwe and Frodo were frozen in a single moment. The ringing that each had heard went from a gentle chiming to a jubilant chorus of bells. The tingling erupted in a thousand bursts of light, filling them with joy and wonder. For Frodo and Linwe there was no movement, there was no sound, it was as though they were the only two in the room, if not the world. All they were aware of was each other.

One by one everyone gathered in the room fell silent as they became aware that something was passing between Frodo and Linwe. The air around the pair and between them seemed to be alive and crackling with the power of an unseen force. Each was held in utter bemusement of what they were witnessing.

It was Merry who was first able to overcome the power of the moment. He shook himself and smiled a knowing smile. He went over to where Linwe stood motionless, and taking her gently by the arm led her over to where Frodo stood. "Frodo, I would like you to meet Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche" he said with a bit of show.

"Hello Linwe" said Frodo in a hushed voice.

"Hello Frodo" said Linwe in an equally hushed voice, with her gaze still firmly locked into Frodo’s.

.

Chapter Fourteen

"Linwe, wake up, you are wasting day light." Linwe smiled at the sound of Rosie’s cheerful voice, "I’m awake," she replied. Linwe stretched from finger tips of her delicate toes, luxuriating for brief moment in the snug feel of the bed before finally opening her eyes. The blur of sleep quickly cleared from her eyes and her gaze was met by Rosie’s own sunny smile. "Come along," said Rosie "you need to eat breakfast and go meet Healer Burrows for today’s round of patient visits."

Linwe quickly got out of bed and got dressed. A week had passed since she had arrived in Hobbiton and it had been the happiest week of her life since the day she left Bree with her parents.

Life on the Cotton family farm and in Hobbiton were comfortingly familiar to Linwe. On the farm her willingness to help with the daily farm chores was much appreciated. In Brandy Hall Linwe had been an honored guest of the Master and Mistress of Buckland and was therefore expected to live a more leisurely existence. To Linwe ’leisurely’ meant taking her time while feeding the chickens and gathering eggs, to the in habitants of Brandy Hall it meant sitting quietly and doing some form of needle work. Tasks that would not overly tax the delicate skin of a lady’s hands.

In Brandy Hall Linwe had been treated with special consideration because of her position of being a member of the Master’s immediate family household, a distinction Linwe had never been entirely comfortable with after her simple upbringing. In Hobbiton Linwe was treated with respect and consideration because of her talents as a healer. From the very first day Linwe had gone with Healer Burrows to check on his patients from the Battle of Bywater, word had started to spread that she had a talent for knowing just how to give comfort and for getting her way with even the most difficult of the patients.

Everyone in the Cotton home had come to accept and appreciate Linwe’s quiet ways. She willingly and happily did her part to help out, saying very little but generally smiling a shy yet contented smile so it was a great shock when on her fifth day there, Linwe showed her steely side.

It was a bright and cheery morning, and everyone was busy eating his or her breakfasts and then setting out for a day of work. The Gaffer had been out and busy as everyone else for the last several days, the work and the November chill had started taking a toll on his old joints. That morning he barely managed to get out of his bed and make his way to the breakfast table. "Gaffer" said Linwe "You seem to be in an awful lot of pain, why don’t you go back to bed and I will come in and rub your joints down with a soothing oil."

"Nonsense! Now you listen here little lassy, I think I am perfectly capable of deciding when I need to be in or out of my bed. I do not need a little upstart like you telling me what to do." Snapped the Gaffer.

All activity in the room came to a standstill as everyone watched to see what would happen next. Linwe’s quiet smile and pleasant demeanor fell away, her eyes blazed and her jaw was firmly set. When she spoke her voice was low and steely, a voice that could not be refused. "Old Hobbit! You will go and get back in that bed or rue the day you ever crossed me."

 The words were few but they were enough. Not even the Gaffer could stand up to the fury he saw in the gaze Linwe had fixed on him. In a quiet voice, he said "Yes Ma’am," and made his way back to his room.

Linwe slipped back into her usual pleasant self so quickly, that she left everyone in the room wondering if they had really seen what they thought they had. Linwe just went about her way; she rubbed the oil into the Gaffer’s tired joints, with her usual gentleness, as though the entire episode had never happened.

Later that same day, Linwe was helping Rosie prepare dinner. Rosie watched, as she had several times before, as Linwe seemed to choose herbs and spices for the Stew, seemingly at random, and showing little concern for specific amounts. This amazed Rosie because she knew that when Linwe was done the stew would be delicious. Finally, unable to contain herself any longer, Rosie asked "Linwe, several times in the last five days I have watched you as you went about preparing one dish or another and not once have I seen you consult a written recipe, do you have them memorized?"

Linwe looked up, blinked, then shrugged her shoulders and said, "I suppose I do, I have not really thought about it."

"And are you following a recipe now?"

"Well… no, I don’t think I am, now that you ask."

"So you are choosing ingredients for that stew at random?" asked an incredulous Rosie.

"Yes, I suppose I am. I am terribly sorry, would you rather I not?" a small frown creasing her brow.

Rosie sighed, "That is quit all right Linwe. I have watched you work like this nearly everyday this week and each dish has turned out wonderful. What amazes me is that you seem totally unaware of what you are doing. Take this morning, you ordered the Gaffer back to bed, and he actually did as he was told."

"Oh really Rosie, that was nothing." Protested Linwe, a blush starting to spread across her cheeks.

"It was something! One minute you were all that is sweet and gentle, the next you were a barely contained fury. One look at you and I thought the Gaffer might die of fright. Then as soon as he left to go back to his room, you went back to be nothing but sweetness again. All as though it had never happened."

"I was not a ‘fury’ or how ever it was you put it. I was firm that is all."

"That was more than being firm, dear. And what is more is that the Gaffer did as you ordered him to. I didn’t think anyone could order the Gaffer around, but there you were doing just that as I might order a small child about."

Linwe smiled fondly at Rosie "You are exaggerating. It could not have been as you describe it, surely I would remember a scene like that."

"You truly don’t see it?"

"See what?"

"All that you do? All of the effect you have on everyone around you?"

"Do what? What effect?"

"Linwe!"

"Yes Rosie?" said Linwe wide innocent eyes

"Oh, never mind!" Rosie smiled and said, "I am glad you are here."

"You know, Rosie, I think I am too." Said Linwe with a smile that lit up the room.

For the seventh morning in a row, Linwe rushed off to breakfast, and looking forward to the rest of the day with happy anticipation.

~~~~~

Frodo walked through a grove of trees, deep in thought. His return to the Shire was not what he expected it to be. Instead of finding a peaceful place to rest after his long quest, he found remnants of the evil Sauron had unleashed on Middle Earth, lingering in the last place he could of expected. Instead of spending his days quietly at Crickhollow, he was the acting Deputy Mayor for the Shire and overseeing much of the restoration of Hobbiton. And as if that wasn’t enough to have on his mind there was Linwe.

Frodo had barely seen Linwe since she had arrived a week ago. Shire business kept him from the Cotton home most of the day. He would return in the evening and there she would be, smiling her quiet smile. All he could ever manage to say to her was ‘Hello’ then he would spend the rest of the evening trying to avoid looking at her, then catching himself looking at her anyway. Something about Linwe seemed so familiar to Frodo and he wasn’t comfortable with that at all.

Frodo looked up and could see where a creek went twisting its way through the trees. He had started walking towards the creek when the sound of a voice raised in song, come floating to him on the crisp autumn air. The voice touched his heart and he followed the sound of it. There, sitting by the creek, under a large tree was Linwe. She wore a crimson cloak, Frodo had seen her in it several times that Linwe looked quite nice in that cloak her, with her brown and gold hair hanging in a loose mass of curls around her shoulders and framing her lovely face. Suddenly aware of his presence, Linwe left off with her song and looked up at Frodo with wide startled eyes. "Hello" said Frodo, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Hello" said Linwe just as quietly with the barest smile touching her lips.

"I heard you singing as I was walking through the grove. I am sorry for disturbing you." Stammered Frodo. His mind was racing, the only thought that made sense was that he should leave and quickly but he could not take his eyes from hers.

A long moment passed with Frodo and Linwe just looking into one another’s eyes. Then Frodo found his voice at the same time Linwe found hers. "I will leave you now." Said Frodo just as Linwe said "Wont you sit down?" They smiled at one another and Linwe said, "You don’t have to go. You are more than welcome to sit here with me if you like."

"I don’t want to disturb you."

"You’re not, please sit with me for a while."

Unable to resist her invitation but still feeling nervous Frodo sat on the ground an arm’s length from Linwe. Together they watched in silence as the last of the autumn brown leaves drifted down from the trees and into the shallow water of the creek where they swirled away on the current. Frodo was reminded briefly of the golden leaves in Lothlorien. Wishing to push back dark memories that soon followed, he said, "You have a lovely voice."

"Thank you" said Linwe turning her face from him to hide her blushing cheeks but Frodo had seen the pink glow bloom across her creamy skin anyway, it made him smile. ‘She has a lovely blush’ he thought to himself. Another long pause then Frodo spoke again, "Your name, Linwe Taralom, that is an Elvish name, isn’t it?" Frodo was pleased to see her blush prettily again, before she answered.

"Yes, my name is Elvish. And of my four wandering cousins, whom have all spent considerable time among Elves, you are the only one to have taken notice." Smiled Linwe.

"I think I may have an advantage over the others in that I can actually read, write and speak some Elvish."

"I suppose that does make a difference."

"I am curious as to how you should be given an Elvish name."

Linwe hesitated a moment a whisper of a breeze lifted a lock of her hair and blew it into her eyes, absently she brushed the lock aside. A gesture that Frodo was already becoming familiar with. "Well…My parents always said that it was just a name they had heard in Bree, and happened to like."

"But there is more to it than that, isn’t there?"

"Yes" Linwe hesitated, she looked out across the creek, golden shafts of light from the afternoon sun, seemed to dance among the trees. "My mother and father had been married for eight years before they had me. In that time my mother became pregnant many times but each time the pregnancy would end too soon. One day as my mother sat in the woods, weeping for her most recent loss, she was overheard by an Elf, her name is Merenwen. Merenwen took pity on my mother and offered to use elvish lore to help my mother have one healthy child. Before I was born my parents decided that to thank Merenwen for the gift she had given them, that they would give me an elvish name, so I was given the elvish variation of my mother’s name."

"I am guessing, that since the entire Shire is not talking about this, that very few if any know your story. "

"Esmeralda and Saradoc know. Mother felt someone else needed to know, so before she died she told Esmeralda."

"Why have you trusted me with this?"

"Because you asked." Said Linwe with an impish grin.

"You have spent too much time with Merry and Pippin." Chuckled Frodo.

"I suppose I have."

"Truthfully, we are little more than strangers, why have you trusted me with this?"

Linwe turned and looked deeply into Frodo’s eyes, "Somehow you seem familiar to me. I think I could tell you anything."

It was Frodo’s turn to look away and blush. Hearing his own thoughts echoed in her words was disconcerting. Confused thoughts and feelings tumbled over one another in his mind and heart. "Do you ever see her?" He asked barely aware of what his question was.

"See who?"

"Merenwen"

"On yes," Linwe smiled, "she helped raise me. After my parents passed away, I begged her to take me with her as she roamed the wilds around Rivendell. But she refused me, she felt that I needed to stay here."

"Do you still wish you could leave with her?"

Linwe thought for a moment then answered slowly, "I don’t know. Until nearly a year ago my whole life centered on Mother, Papa, and Merenwen. I never felt that anyone could come close to taking their place."

"But things have changed?" prompted Frodo

Linwe smiled and said softly, "They have, Esmeralda and Saradoc have treated me like a daughter, I would want to give careful thought before leaving them for a long time."

"Esmeralda and Saradoc are wonderful. I was twelve when my parents died, so Esmeralda and Saradoc looked after me until I was about twenty-one. Then Bilbo asked me if I wanted to come and live with him at BagEnd. I had always loved visiting there and spending time with, he always had such wonderful stories to tell." Frodo looked away from Linwe but not before she caught a glimpse of sadness in his eyes.

"How did your parents die? That is if you do not mind my asking." Linwe asked quietly.

Frodo took a deep breath then said "They took a boat out on the Brandywine River one day, they never came back. No one saw what happened."

"Do you still miss your parents?" Linwe asked quietly.

"Yes I do. I was terribly young when I lost them but I remember how badly I wanted my mother to come hold me and comfort me. I wanted my father to come and toss me in the air again. He used to make me laugh so hard I could barely breath."

Linwe smiled, "They sound as though they loved you very much."

"Yes they did."

"I am sorry you lost them."

"Thank you."

For many moments the only sound to be heard was the soft gurgle of water flowing by in the creek. "What happened to your parents? How did they die?" Frodo asked, his voice gentle.

"My mother was very sick once when she was a child, it weakened her. Her weakness was what made it very difficult for her to have a baby. Every winter she would get a bit of a cough but she told me it was nothing. Last autumn the cough set in earlier than usual, and it was worse than ever. Esmeralda said the stress of moving was largely to blame. I had become quite ill myself after the move and Mother took care of me through that. I am sure my own illness made her’s worse. Mother got weaker and died. Father died of a broken heart about a month later."

Frodo looked at Linwe, she kept her gaze fixed in front of her, but even in profile Frodo could see the pain that filled her eyes and the tears that flowed freely down. A sudden flash of insight came to Frodo. "You feel responsible don’t you?"

"Yes;" Linwe said. She didn’t bother to wipe away her tears, "I suppose I do."

"It isn’t your fault you know. You couldn’t help getting sick. I am almost certain that your parents would not want you to blame yourself." Frodo’s voice was soft and gentle, like nothing Linwe had heard before.

"I know." She sniffed

"I am sorry you lost them."

Linwe could only gaze down at the fallen leaves on the ground before her and say quietly, "Thank you."

In the distance there was the sound of a branch knocked loose by the breeze falling to the ground. Linwe shivered. "I suppose we should be going back now." Said Frodo as he rose to his feet then offered a hand to Linwe to help her stand up. Linwe took Frodo’s hand, noticing how warm and comforting it felt in her own. Once she was standing, Linwe did not let go of Frodo’s hand, but instead turned towards him. "Frodo" she said "Does it ever get any easier? Does it get easier living with the pain of missing someone you love, of missing your parents?"

Frodo smiled, a bit sadly "It does in a way. You get used to it I think and learn to sort of step around it and keep going on."

Turning away, Linwe nodded her head once as though in agreement, then started walking back towards the Cotton farm, without letting go of Frodo’s hand.

Chapter Fifteen

It was a crisp winter afternoon, the sort of day where one can hardly tell where the ground ends and the sky begins for the cold whiteness of the ground and the pale gray of the overcast sky. Frodo was walking in the now near colorless woods, where he had heard Linwe singing a little over a month before. As he walked he remembered the apprehension he had felt towards her, before that afternoon by the creek. Frodo smiled to himself as he remembered the sound of her sweet voice, so pure and gentle. Frodo was grateful now for that afternoon. I seemed as though relatively little had been said compared to what they had shared that day. Frodo still had the lingering sense that he knew Linwe, somehow, possibly from as far back as their childhood. Frodo and Linwe had spent a lot of time talking in the last several weeks and the one thing that had become clear was that they had never been in the same place at the same time. Frodo had given up trying to figure out why he felt what he did, he only wanted to enjoy Linwe’s company and friendship.

Since that November afternoon, which became more and more lovely every time Frodo thought of it, he and Linwe had got into the habit of taking walks together. Not everyday, there were days when Frodo wanted Sam’s company. Then there were days when painful memories were to near the surface and he felt the need to walk alone. Still the walks with Linwe were very dear to him. Sometimes they would talk at other times they found peace and contentment in silence. Unlike so many in the Shire, Linwe never urged him to tell what had happened on his journeys, she seemed to understood that it was all to painful for him to talk about, at least for now. Instead they talked of other things, books they had read, stories of the their childhood, mostly Frodo liked hearing all about Linwe.

Frodo was so lost in thought and was taken completely by surprise by a snowball that slammed into the left side of his head. He heard the sound of laughter coming from the same direction as the snowball. He turned in time to catch a glimpse of Linwe’s crimson cloak and long loose hair, flying out behind her as she ducked behind a tree. Frodo crept toward the tree, without making a sound and as he went he bent down and gathered snow shaping it into a ball. When he was about five feet from the tree, Linwe happened to peek around from behind the tree, she spotted Frodo, squealed and took off running. Frodo paused for only a moment, captivated by the image in front of him, Linwe running, her cheeks a rosy pink he had come to love, her hair that she refused to bind into braids or buns, streaming out behind her, in dark waves, lit up by touches of gold. The sound of her laughter brought him back into the present moment and he started to chase after her.

~~~~~

Sam had just finished cleaning out the stalls in the barn and was walking across the yard on the way to the house, when he heard the sound of hooves on the road, and stopped to see who was coming. Two riders turned into the Cotton farm. Sam smiled went forward to greet them. "Merry! Pippin! What are you doing here? I thought you would be with your families for Yule!"

"We’re on our way" said Pippin as the pair dismounted "but we wanted to stop and see how everything was coming along here and maybe share a bit of the season with you."

"That and I promised mother that I would stop by and see if Linwe wanted to come back to Brandy Hall for the holiday." Added Merry.

"Well let me help you get your ponies settled in the barn, then we can go into the house for a late afternoon tea. Rosie has been baking fruit cakes. I am sure for you two she will slice one of them early.

Sam lead Merry and Pippin to the barn and the three made quick work of settling the ponies and were soon headed back towards the house. "So tell us Sam, how is our cousin Linwe doing?" asked Merry

Sam smiled a gleam of pride for the cousin he shared with Frodo, "She’s just fine, as you would know if you had stopped in at all during the last month."

"Now Sam, we have been busy running the last of the ruffians out of the Shire." Merry said in defense of his and Pippin’s absence.

"More like you have been riding all over the Shire, in all of your finery, showing off for the lasses!" retorted Sam.

"Do you blame us?" said Pippin "Hasn’t your own Rosie admired you in your finery?"

"Well…" said Sam turning scarlet "that isn’t the point. You should stop in and visit with your own kin more, especially when you were given the responsibility to seeing after her comfort and well being."

Merry chuckled, "All right, Sam, let’s get in the house so that Pippin and I can live up to our responsibilities."

"I am afraid you will have to wait, because Linwe is not here at the moment."

"Well then where is she?" asked Merry

"She set out on a walk a little while ago, she most likely went after Mr. Frodo."

Merry and Pippin stopped and exchanged knowing looks. "Did she now?" asked Merry, "Tell us Sam, have Linwe and Frodo been spending a lot of time together?"

Before Sam could answer the conversation was interrupted by the sound of shrieks coming from the near by trees. The three of them turned just in time to see Linwe come running out of the trees, her hair and cloak flying out behind her.

"Sam! Sam! He’s after me!" Linwe called out as she ran towards the trio.

"Who’s after you?" called Sam just as Frodo came running out of the trees and paused to throw a snowball at Linwe. The missile grazed her shoulder causing her to squeal again. When she was within three feet of Merry another snowball came flying towards her, missed and hit Merry in the face.

"That tears it!" cried Merry as he grabbed up some snow and formed a ball of his own, then took off running after Frodo.

Linwe ran around to hide behind Sam and Pippin just as Frodo lobbed another snowball in her direction, this one hitting Pippin. "You will pay for that Frodo Baggins!" Yelled Pippin as he dove gleefully into the fight.

Linwe started throwing snowballs from behind Sam. Sam turned on Linwe, "You will not be dragging me into this, Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche!" Just then a well-aimed snowball shattered on Sam’s back, followed by the sound of laughter that Sam knew well. "Rosie Cotton!" sputtered Sam in surprise, just as Rosie let loose with another snowball, this one hitting Sam in the chest. Sam took off after Rosie.

The six-way snow battle went on for about half an hour then Merry called out "All right Frodo, who started this?"

"Linwe did. I was just walking along, minding my own business, when she attacked me!" gasped Frodo, who was finding laughing and running to be a chore.

" ‘Tis not true! He is lying!" protested Linwe through her own laughter.

"There seems to be just one way to handle this. Pippin, you get Linwe, and I will get Frodo!" Frodo and Linwe tried to run from Merry and Pippin, but they were already near spent from running through the woods, then the snow ball fight its self. Merry and Pippin also had the added advantage of longer legs so it was not long before Linwe and Frodo were over taken and tackled to the ground where they had judicious amounts of snow rubbed into their face and hair.

"Stop! Oh please stop!" cried Linwe

"We surrender!" gasped Frodo

"All right! That’s enough." Said Sam coming and dragging Merry and Pippin away.

Sam helped Frodo to his feet and Rosie assisted Linwe. "Let’s all get inside before we all catch our death." Said Rosie leading Linwe towards the house, both of them still giggling.

When they all trooped into the house, Mrs. Cotton took one look at the bedraggled bunch and could only shake her head as she went about starting to prepare hot tea for them all. The lads quickly changed into warm dry clothes, and returned to sit by the hearth in the common room where the Cotton family gathered for meals and to relax in the evening. In Rosie and Linwe’s room, Rosie got her cloak off then helped Linwe with her own, when Linwe found her hands too cold to be able to undo the toggles. When the cloak was finally off, Rosie saw that Linwe’s dress was mostly wet as well, and that Linwe was starting to shiver hard. "Oh Linwe! You are in a sorry state!" exclaimed Rosie "I don’t think just getting you into dry clothes will be enough, you need a bath to warm you."

"Don’t worry about me Rosie. I will be warm enough in al few minutes and your mother will need us to help her get dinner ready."

"Mother will agree with me. Now can you manage getting the lacing on your dress undone?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Well then hurry out of those wet clothes and get into this flannel dressing gown. I will go draw you a bath."

Fifteen minutes later Linwe was up to her neck in chamomile and lavender scented water. Rosie was sitting next to the tub on a cushioned stool. "Now be honest, Miss Linwe Taralom. Did you or did you not start that snowball fight?" Demanded Rosie.

Linwe giggled. "I can not lie, at least not to you, Rosie. I started the fight. I honestly do not know what came over me. I went out with the intention of meeting Frodo on his way back here, and walking the rest of the way with him. I saw him coming through the trees and he was so lost in thought that he did not see me. The next thing I knew I was hiding behind a tree waiting for him."

Rosie smiled and chuckled. "Oh Linwe! There are moments that I have a hard time remembering you are a grown lass, let alone that you are older than me." Rosie paused and smiling tenderly she said "You’re in love with him, aren’t you?"

"In love with who?" Said Linwe, trying her best to look puzzled.

"You know perfectly well of whom I speak of, Frodo Baggins!"

Becoming quite serious, Linwe said quietly. "Yes, I suppose I am."

"I think he is in love with you as well, you know." Rosie said gently.

"Maybe he is, Rosie, but he isn’t ready to be, or he isn’t ready to allow himself to be. He hurts too much. He has not talked to me of what happened on his journeys, but he was badly hurt. I’ve notice that Merry, Pippin, and Sam don’t say much either."

"I know." Sighed Rosie "Sam has told me a little more than what he has told everyone else, but I think it will be a while before I have heard all of it, that is if he chooses to tell me all of it."

"Have you noticed, that all four of them will have this haunted look come over them from time to time?" Linwe asked quietly.

Rosie sighed, "I have. I have known all four of them for most of my life it seems. I can see that they are not the same Hobbits that they were before they left. Frodo is quieter and more reserved. Sam is more out spoken but always worries for Frodo. Merry was never what I would call selfish, but he is far more thoughtful of the needs of those around him but there is a certain grimness that lies under that concern. In many ways it is Pippin who makes me the saddest, he was so young and innocent before they left, some would even say foolish, in a way the innocence is still there but it is tempered by wisdom far beyond his years and I hate to think how he might have gained such wisdom."

"The sadness never seems to leave Frodo’s eyes." Linwe said sadly. "Not entirely and never for long. And I think Frodo bears the weight of the other’s suffering as well as his own. They all voluntarily went with him, but he feels responsible."

"You are worried for him, aren’t you?"

"I am. Maybe it is my imagination, but I just have this feeling that Frodo was hurt far more than any of them let on. Like something deep within him was broken. I am not even all that sure that even Sam knows how deeply Frodo hurts." Linwe sighed, "But then I can’t be sure that I know all that much myself. I am only going by intuition and some possibly imagined pain in his eyes. I don’t really know him that well."

"I wouldn’t be so sure of that." Replied Rosie, "Dearest, you have this remarkable ability to understand people."

"I doubt that." Protested Linwe, feeling embarrassed by the way the conversation had turned.

"You just don’t see it, but it is true all the same. I have talked to many of the patients you looked after for Healer Burrows, and to Healer Burrows himself. One thing I heard from pretty much everyone was that you always seemed to know just how a person was feeling, and then how to bring relief to those that were hurting. Healer Burrows said that Milo Stillwater for all of his complaints of having considerable of pain, was never hurt all that badly. Healer Burrows was baffled as to what could be causing Milo such pain. You talked to Milo for a few minutes and figured out that Milo was deeply troubled by actually having killed one of those men. Milo is as gentle and kindly Hobbit who hates to see any living creature suffer and die. You saw what his problem was and you knew just the right thing to say and do to help him feel better. Giving him that orphaned lamb of ours to care for helped him get passed the killing he had been forced to do in his own defense. Linwe dear," Rosie said gently, "if there is anyone that can see the truth of Frodo’s heart I think it is you."

Chapter Sixteen

 

Linwe wiped the sweat off of her fore head with the back of her hand. She had spent the entire morning scrubbing the kitchen walls of Bag End. She stopped and stood back to examine her work and was very pleased with what she saw. Bag End had been in a terrible state the first time she had seen it. Linwe had not set foot in it until January, and by then she knew what the old Hobbit whole meant to Frodo. Linwe had cried to see the home he loved dearly so badly damaged. When Healer Burrows no longer had need for her daily assistance with his patents, Linwe put her energies into helping Sam organize and run the project of restoring Bag End. After spending many days working on the home and hearing Frodo tell stories of special memories of the place, Linwe had come to love Bag End as well.

When Linwe was done inspecting her work she glanced out the window and realized it was about lunch time. She set down her scrub brush then headed towards the large, round, green door, pausing just long enough to put on her light cloak and to pick up a picnic basket and blanket that were sitting by the door. Once outside she headed up the hill Bag End was nestled in. The last several days had been unseasonably mild for late February, so that morning Linwe had convinced Frodo to meet her for a picnic on the hill.

As Linwe walked up the hill she saw Frodo sitting back against an accommodating tree stump, smoking his pipe and reading a book. "I hope I have not kept you waiting long." Said Linwe as she drew near.

"You haven’t. I came a little early myself to do a bit of reading." Frodo said as he smiled up at her.

Linwe set the basket and blanket down on the ground. Then stood looking off in the distance, past New Row. "It really is very lovely up here." Said Linwe.

"It was even prettier before the occupation." Said Frodo as he came to stand next to Linwe. "That stump was a favorite tree of mine. I used to come up here to read under it." Said Frodo sadly.

Linwe took Frodo’s hand in her own and squeezed it. "It will all be set to rights soon Frodo. I can feel it."

"I know, and you are absolutely right." Frodo said as he looked at Linwe and smiled. "And despite everything, the Shire is still lovely." Linwe gave Frodo’s hand one last squeeze then turned her attention to setting out their picnic.

Frodo and Linwe ate their lunch and talked while watching a pair of sparrows build a nest in a near by tree. It was not a very big tree, and had gone un-noticed when Saruman took over the Shire.

"How are things progressing in Bag End?" Frodo asked before taking a bite of an apple.

"Everything is coming along fine. I don’t think it will be much longer before you can move back in." Replied Linwe while taking mental note of all that Frodo had eaten. Frodo tended to not eat all that much and she did what she could to encourage him to eat more without looking like that was what she was doing.

"I do have to admit, that I am glad to hear it. But I wish you and Sam would let me help."

"You do so much already with your duties as Deputy Mayor of the Shire. I don’t see that you have time to help at Bag End. In fact you look rather tired now, you should take a nap while you’re up here."

"No I really should go back." Refused Frodo.

"Non-sense, eat this last bit of custard tart and relax for a while. It is a lovely day for it. I am reminded of taking picnics with Merenwen on days like this. It was one of my most favorite things to do. I think my mother loved them as it meant that for a little while she could go about her work without having to stop and answer my questions and deal with my attempts to help her."

Frodo smiled to himself as the Image of a very young Linwe came to mind. He could see her small, round, serious face framed by long loose curls that tended to fall down in her face. The image was so clear he could almost swear that he had actually seen her like that. "Tell me about those picnics." Prompted Frodo.

"Merenwen would take me on these long walks through the woods. Along the way she would point out assorted plants and tell me all about them. She knew every plant that grew in the woods there. I learned so much from those walks. After we had been walking for awhile we would sit and have a little picnic. By the time I would be done eating I was always tired so I would rest my head on Merenwen’s lap and she would sing songs to my while I slept. I always had the nicest dreams those days."

"It does sound like a perfect way to end a picnic." Said Frodo quietly

"Then rest your head here on my lap and I will sing for you."

"I don’t think I should." Frodo said reluctantly.

"Of course you should. In fact I order you to."

"And what gives you the authority to order me around? I am deputy mayor of the Shire after all."

"I claim authority on the grounds that I am older and wiser." Said Linwe drawing herself and giving him a superior look.

"You are not older!" Frodo said with firm disbelief.

"I am sure I am," Linwe said firmly.

"This is a matter easily settled. When is your birthday?"

"September 22, 1368." Said Linwe as though that settled matters.

Frodo laughed "I am sorry to tell you that if you are truly older than me, it is only by minutes or hours at best."

"What do you mean?"

"I too was born on September 22, 1368, just when the first star of the evening made it’s appearance in the sky, according to my mother. She happened to glance out the window at that moment."

Linwe’s eyes went very wide, "Well that is remarkable!" Said Linwe in astonishment.

"What that we should share the exact same birthday, I am sure that isn’t so unusual." Frodo brushed off the coincidence casually, but was secretly pleased by it.

"No, not that, or rather that is part of it. My father told me that he had just seen the first star of evening appear in the sky the moment he heard my first cries."

 

~~~~~

Rosie and Linwe were returning home, having spent the morning doing the marketing. The mild weather of February had turned into an early spring. Rosie and Linwe walked along under a clear blue sky; the air smelled of new growth and fresh tilled earth. "Everything is nearly done at Bag End." Observed Rosie.

"Yes, I think by the time Sam returns from planting trees all about the Shire, Bag End will be ready for Frodo to move into." Said Linwe

"There were times when I wondered if it was possible to set the place to rights."

"Rosie Cotton! What a thing to suggest, that is like saying you had doubts about Sam’s ability to see it done." Teased Linwe.

Rosie laughed. "I have never had any doubts in Sam. If he had to, Sam would have dug out a new Bag End with his bare hands and would have even made it an exact copy of the original down to the merest scratch in the wood work."

"Considering the filth that had to be dealt with, I often wondered if rebuilding would not have been a better idea. I can hardly believe it is nearly complete."

"Linwe, what will you do when all is done and Frodo has moved back?"

"I guess about the only thing I can do. I will go back to Brandy Hall. I can’t very well stay on here as a permanent guest to your family."

"I don’t think Mother and Father would mind if you did, but you have to stay at least until Sam and I are wed."

"Has he finally spoken for you?"

"Not yet, but I think he will as soon as he gets back. And you must stand up with me at the wedding."

"Oh Rosie, there is nothing I should like more!" cried Linwe.

"But don’t expect the wedding to soon follow. Sam will not want to set a firm date until he has a proper home ready for us."

The two friends continued walking on, talking about wedding plans, and considering how soon it might be before Rosie and Sam would finally be married. Suddenly Linwe stopped. "Linwe, are you all right?" Rosie asked, noticing that Linwe looked pale.

"I don’t know. I just suddenly feel quite dizzy."

"Your white as a sheet dear, maybe you should put down your basket and sit down for a rest."

"No, we only have a very short way to go now, I am sure I will be fine. I just think I need to get back to the house." Linwe had only taken a few steps more when she suddenly cried out, as though she were in pain. Her basket fell from her hand falling to the ground and spilling it’s contents across the road way. Linwe grabbed the back of her neck and moaned. Her knees starting to give way beneath her.

Rosie dropped her own basket and quickly got her arms around Linwe, just barely managing to keep her from collapsing to the ground. "Linwe! What is it? What is wrong?"

"Frodo! It’s Frodo! He’s hurting!" gasped Linwe

"What… How can you know that?"

"Please Rosie, I have to go to him now!"

"All right, We will get you there."

Rosie helped Linwe hurry home as fast as they could go. Linwe stumbled a few times and but never stopped. Drawing on her own inner strength, Linwe held off the pain and nausea the threatened to overcome her. Soon they were back in the Cotton home and Linwe was rushing down the hall to Frodo’s room. There she found the door wide open. Farmer Cotton was there, looking down on Frodo who was on the bed, curled up on his side clutching a white jewel that hung from a chain around his neck. "What happened?" demanded Linwe

"I don’t know." Said the old farmer in alarm, "I heard the sound of something breaking in here, so I came to the door and asked if all was well. He did not answer so I came on in and found the poor lad like this."

Linwe sat down on the bed and laid a hand on Frodo’s shoulder. His eyes were open but he seemed to be in a sort of trance. "Frodo? Can you hear me?" Frodo said nothing. "Frodo!" She called a bit louder. "Can you speak to me?"

"It is gone." He muttered "Now all is dark and empty."

"Linwe, what is wrong? Do you know?" Asked Rosie from the doorway.

"I don’t know." Said Linwe looking sadly on Frodo.

 

~~~~~

Frodo took not notice as gentle caring hands settled him more comfortably into his bed. Linwe sat on the edge of his bed bathing his brow with a cool cloth, but he did not appear to notice that either. Linwe’s thoughts wandered from ways she might be able to comfort him, to thoughts of what had comforted her as a child. She thought of picnics. There were picnics with Merenwen. Then she thought of more recent picnics with Frodo on the hill top above Bag End. In the last several weeks this had become nearly a daily routine for them. One that she knew they both looked forward to. The picnics frequently ended the same now, with Frodo resting his head on Linwe’s skirts and listening to her sing. Linwe set the cloth aside and moved so that she was leaning back against the head board. Once comfortable settled herself she took his maimed hand into one of her own and with her other hand she started to slowly comb through the curls on his temple. In a soft voice Linwe started to sing. Slowly the lines of pain, relaxed and smoothed from Frodo’s face. His eyes closed and he sighed once as he drifted into sleep.

Hours passed and Linwe sat singing or humming every soothing song she could think of. Rosie would look in from time to time and bring Linwe cups of tea, but for the most part Linwe was left alone to care for Frodo. Afternoon shadows passed into a colorful sunset. Linwe sat watching through the window as the sky turned from orange to pink then darkened to purple and dark blue, and sang an elvish song that had long been a favorite of hers. Linwe came to the end of the song and was humming through the melody when she heard Frodo speak in a tired quiet voice, "I have heard you sing that song before;" was all he said before drifting back off into sleep.

Sometime after nightfall Linwe had dozed off where she sat. When she woke up again she had found someone had come in and draped a shawl around her shoulders and had left a single candle burning. Linwe shifted then looked down at Frodo’s face and found his eyes wide open. "Frodo? Are you awake?"

"I am." He said quietly.

Linwe laid a hand on his brow and he closed his eyes. "Is there anything I can do for you?

"Just stay with me." He said in a weary voice.

Linwe sat looking at his face. It seemed that every line was tinged with sadness and it broke her heart. At that moment Linwe felt that there was nothing she would not do to ease the pain she felt emanating from him.

Frodo shivered. Despite the heavy quilts that covered him, it seemed he could not get warm. Linwe stood for a moment, fluffed up the pillows on the bed, pulled the shawl more snugly about her, then lifted up the quilt and climbed into the bed next to Frodo in hopes of helping him get warm. Linwe gingerly worked her arm beneath Frodo’s neck and shoulders and took him into her arms. She rested Frodo’s head on her shoulder, his brow resting against her neck. Linwe pulled back her head a little bit and kissed his brow. Frodo let out a shuddering sigh, then putting one arm around Linwe he held her closer. "Please sing that song again, the one I have heard you sing before." She heard him whisper. Linwe relaxed against the pillows and started to sing.

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seventeen

Frodo and Linwe walked hand in hand through the woods. It had been four days since Frodo had fallen ill and though in body he appeared to be fine, Linwe could tell that in spirit he was hurting still. The trees were only just starting to bud, tiny leaves were not enough to keep the sun from penetrating deeply among the trees. They had not been walking long, through the sun dappled woods, when they came to a small clearing with a long low rock in the middle of it, left there by some long forgotten glacier as it passed through the land. "This looks like a lovely spot," said Linwe, "why don’t we sit here for a while."

"That would be fine," Replied Frodo tonelessly. Without thinking he went along with Linwe and took a seat on the sun warmed stone. Linwe still held Frodo’s hand. She thought only of Frodo, anyone could look at him and see that he was brooding over something. It had been four days since Frodo’s collapse. In those four days Frodo had barely uttered a word. He had stayed in his room, alone, Sam was still away planting trees and Frodo only accepted Linwe’s company. Visitors needing the Deputy Mayor on Shire business were told that he was under the weather but would surely be up and about in a day or two.

Linwe was not the sort to push and pry into someone else’s concerns. There were occasions when she was assisting Healer Burrows, that she was required to be firm when someone was trying to ignore a physical ailment and at risk for doing harm upon themselves, but it was not something Linwe was comfortable with. When it came to Frodo, Linwe was increasingly finding it necessary to be assertive. Linwe had learned very quickly, that Frodo had the most generous, caring heart of anyone she had ever met. He spent long hours performing his duties as deputy mayor, often he was asked to make decisions or solve problems that the petitioners themselves could have resolved. Linwe could easily see that so much time and attention being demanded of him was taxing to Frodo, but he kept on with very little complaint. Linwe saw how carefully Sam looked out for Frodo and how just as carefully Frodo shielded his fatigue from Sam. Often Frodo would divert Sam’s attentions by mentioning Rosie. This was something that Linwe and Rosie had both observed. They found it sad, sweet, and humorous all at the same time. While Linwe admired Frodo for his generous, selfless nature, she was also becoming increasingly concerned that it went to far. Linwe was finding that often the best way to care for Frodo was to just do what she felt needed done without giving him a chance to refuse her efforts. After enduring four days of Frodo’s steadfast broody silence, Linwe decided that once again it was time to force the issue. She would get him to talk to her.

"Frodo, what is troubling you?" she asked. Frodo said nothing but looked out through the trees. "Please tell me, I want to help if I can."

Several long moments passed where the only sound to be heard was that of two squirrels chasing one another from tree to tree. Linwe had just about given up on Frodo ever answering when at last he spoke. "I don’t think you can help me, Linwe. I don’t think anyone can," he said quietly.

Linwe took a deep breath. She felt more frustrated, but even more determined as well. "I am afraid I can not accept that." She paused and waited to see if Frodo would respond. He did not. "If you will not talk then I will. I can see you are hurting. I see sadness that never completely leaves your eyes. You, Sam, Merry, and Pippin have been keeping a wall of silence up, not telling anyone much of what happened while you were away. You have just enough grand tales of things you saw and did to convince almost everyone that they have heard all that there is to hear, but I for one am not fooled by it. There is something the lot of you are keeping to yourselves, something that is haunting you still. What happened to you Frodo? Where did you go? What happened on that journey that has hurt you so deeply?"

Linwe watched as Frodo closed his eyes while clenching his jaw. She watched as an inner struggle showed on the features of his face. The battle played itself out. Frodo turned to look at Linwe, his eyes dark with despair. With one trembling hand he reached up and touched her cheek, a hint of a smile touched his lips. "Dearest Linwe, you have an indomitable spirit beneath that delicate exterior." He sighed, "I will tell you what I can, but you must understand that these are painful memories for me. I do not like to dwell on them for long. Not yet anyway. I may not be able to tell all." He took her hand in his once more and turned his gaze away.  A cool breeze ruffled his hair. In a barely audible voice he said, "I went to Mordor." Of all things Frodo could have told Linwe this was the least expected. Frodo’s words came haltingly at first, but it was not long before he lost himself in the telling, the words could not seem to flow fast enough.

Side by side, hand in hand, Frodo and Linwe sat. Frodo releasing some of his pent up sadness, fear, and despair. Linwe took it all in, adding to it her own half forgotten memories of pain and terror over images she was just starting to understand. Images of a wraith like being stabbing her with its burning cold blade flowed into images of a tall, mighty wizard with a scraggly gray beard falling into flame and shadow. Linwe felt again as though something she loved had just been ripped cruelly from her. Months of confused dreams and nightmares visited themselves on her once more as Frodo spoke of events that she too remembered. It all came back to her, times of feeling bitterly cold and times when hot ash burned her throat with every breath. She remembered a malevolent voice whispering it’s dark words. She remembered the ever increasing weight that seemed to have been bound around her neck. Frodo’s memories of losing his fight against the ring were vague but Linwe found she remembered it all. The feelings of being trapped in a dark place, screaming silently for him to stop, then feeling crushing despair when she went unheard and the ring won.

Linwe was so caught up in the shock and wonder of all that whirled through her mind she did not notice Frodo leave her side to walk to the edge of the clearing, until one lone sob escaped his throat. Linwe stood up, moving to stand before him. He looked into her eyes, tears streaming down his face. "It never stops hurting. No matter where I go or how much time passes I don’t think I shall ever stop hurting."

Linwe took Frodo into her arms holding him tightly. Overcome, Frodo’s legs gave way beneath him, forcing Linwe to slump to the ground with him. There she sat cradling him, wondering to herself if he could ever shed enough tears to wash away his pain.

Chapter Eighteen

Merenwen walked through the trees until she came upon a glade with a rock in the middle of it. There on the rock was a small figure with a wild mass of long loose curly hair, apparently lost in thought. The figure on the rock did not notice Merenwen standing near by.

"Little One, what troubles you so?"

The Hobbit on the rock looked up suddenly, at the sound of Merenwen’s voice. "Merenwen!" Linwe cried happily, as she rushed to give Merenwen a hug. "How long have you been here? How long will you be staying?"

Merenwen laughed "I have been in the Shire for a fortnight now and I will most likely be here and there for some months to come. King Elessar asked Lord Elrond if the Elves would keep watch over the Shire until things are more settled in Gondor. I volunteered for the task, so that I may spend even more time with you.

"Oh, that is good news!" Linwe cried happily. "I have missed you so much. It seems unfair that the one time in my life that so much has gone on is the one time that I have had to do without you."

"I know. I am sorry that it had to be so, but I am here now, so come;" said Merenwen leading Linwe back to the rock, "tell me how it has been with you since I last saw you. Do you still wish to leave the Shire to roam the wilds with me?"

"No Merenwen, at this moment I don’t think I do," sighed Linwe, "I am happy here. I feel needed here, I also have been enjoying the company of friends and family. When Merry returned to Brandy Hall he claimed that he still loved me as much as he did when he was a small boy. You know I think he does. He is very sweet. Then there is Pippin. When we first met he asked if he could follow me around so he could adore me as much as Merry does. Merry and Pippin are terrible flirts." said Linwe, chuckling at the memory. "Oh and Rosie is a dear. She has become like a sister to me. Sometimes I think she can understand all there is to know about me. Rosie is Sam’s intended. Everyone knows this though Sam has yet to ask for her hand. Sam takes his responsibilities very seriously and Rosie says he will not likely say anything until he has tended to other matters about the Shire, so that he can court her properly.

In Brandy Hall I was surrounded by relatives yet I never felt a part of that community. But then I came here, it turned out that again I was surrounded by relatives, but somehow it is different. Did you know I may very well be the only Hobbit in all of the Shire that can claim kinship to all four of the travelers. Sam is the one who seems to be the most effected by this. Rosie says that Sam would have loved me for being his kin alone, family is very important to Sam. I earn special consideration since it is through me that Sam is related to Frodo."

"That makes sense." Said Merenwen, "Esme, told me so much about them when you were sick. I stopped to visit with her before coming here to see you. She told me all that has passed since I was last here, including the changes she sees in the four. Frodo and Sam have obviously gone long past the ties of master and servant. Sam needs the relation through you to Frodo, to allow himself to feel he is truly Frodo’s equal."

"I believe you are right about that. Rosie has told me so much of what everything and everyone here were like before the occupation, before the lads left with Frodo. Linwe’s voice trailed off with out her completing her thought. When several moments passed while still she said nothing Merenwen broke into Linwe’s reverie. "What of Frodo, what is he like?"

"Frodo is different from the others." Linwe said, her voice sounding a little distant, "Merry, Pippin, and Sam are what I would imagine protective brothers to be like. I may be older, but they tend to act like I am the one that needs looking after. Even Rosie is watchful of me. It is nice in its way, so I don’t mind."

"But Frodo doesn’t treat you that way, I take it."

"No, Frodo and I are friends. We understand one another. I like going for walks with him. We can talk for hours or be comfortable in each other’s silence. I just like being with him."

"It sounds as though you have come to care for him very much." Merenwen said softly.

"I have. It is rather hard for me to explain, I am afraid."

Merenwen watched a blush spread across Linwe’s cheeks. Linwe did not see the knowing smile that touched her friends lips. "How is Frodo doing since his return to the Shire?"

Linwe sighed, "In some ways he is doing well, but there are times I can feel he is hurting so much still. For months he would not talk about where he had been, or what he had done. Merry and Pippin told me about many of the wonders they saw, but managed to never be specific about why they had gone. Merry only said that there was something that Frodo had to do. Rosie asked Sam where they had been and he told her that he would tell her later. Then six days ago, Frodo became ill." Linwe fell silent. The troubled look in her eyes giving away the turmoil whirling inside her.

"What is it, Linwe? What is wrong?"

Linwe looked into Merenwen’s eyes and smiled slightly nervous smile, "Merenwen, I hardly know where to begin. There seems to be so much to tell, so much to ask.

"Why don’t you start by telling me what happened when Frodo became ill."

"Rosie and I were coming home from market day. I suddenly felt dizzy then I felt a searing pain in the back of my neck. Suddenly I just seemed to know that it was Frodo’s pain I was feeling. Rosie and I got back home as quickly as we could. There I found Frodo in his bed in a sort of trance. I did not know what it was that was ailing him so we just made him as comfortable as we could and I stayed with him through the night, holding him while singing to him as you used to do for me. It seemed to soothe him.

Over the next several days he quickly recovered physically, but I could tell that in spirit he was still greatly troubled. He said very little to anyone, he just sat about brooding. Two days ago I got him to go for a walk with me and we ended up here. In all of the months I have been living here, in all the time Frodo and I have spent together I have not once asked him about where he had been or why he had gone. But I just knew that this illness had much to do with it. That day I pretty much demanded that he tell me what had happened."

Merenwen smiled to her self, remembering Linwe’s sometimes assertive ways as a child. "Did he tell you?"

"He did, though reluctantly at first. Once he started talking he did feel better. I know he did not tell me absolutely everything, I think that it would take months for him to tell me all of it. But I know now that he carried the One Ring to Mordor to destroy it, and I have a general idea of what happened along the way there."

"Frodo’s sadness isn’t all that is troubling you, is it?"

Linwe sat silently for a long time. When at last she looked up at Merenwen, her eyes were filled with tears. "I saw it Merenwen. I felt it. I saw it. I heard it. So much of what Frodo went through; it is as though I was there in his mind going through it with him. I have memories that are not mine and I have scars from when his wounds. There was that afternoon, six days ago, I knew he was unwell, I felt it. I don’t understand, and I am afraid! What is happening?"

Linwe lost control over her tears. Merenwen took Linwe into her arms, gently holding her. When Linwe’s sobbing finally subsided Merenwen pulled back to look into Linwe’s frightened gaze. "I can see the time has come for me to tell you a rather long tale myself, but perhaps what I tell you will bring you a measure of comfort." Merenwen took a deep breath. "Linwe, do you remember about a year ago when you first told me that you felt you were seeing memories that were not your own?"

"Yes, you said that I was possibly seeing other places and times like the Elves are sometimes able to do."

"What you were experiencing actually goes deeper than that. You were actually sharing much of what Frodo went through himself. This is a phenomenon that can occur when two people are very close in spirit. However usually when it happens it will happen between two people who have long known one another. To the best of my knowledge it has never been felt to the degree where the person sharing the experiences of the other is actually left with physical proof of it."

"But Frodo and I have never even met before last November, so how can this be?"

"That is what I went to Rivendell to find out. I learned something from Esmeralda that I thought might explain all of this. I needed to let Lord Elrond know about this mysterious tie you have with Frodo. I was hoping that he would be able to help me make sense of it."

"You knew!" Accused Linwe, "When you were here you knew the whole time, what was really going on, yet you never told me!"

"Yes, dear, I knew. I started to suspect the truth when you told me of your illnesses and your memories. When I saw that mark on you shoulder I knew. However I could not tell you. Sauron had servants everywhere spying. I felt that if I said a word of this, even just to you, that your life and Frodo’s life would be in danger. What you were experiencing could have been used to stop Frodo from ever reaching Mount Doom. You most likely would have both been killed. I did what I had to. I stayed and watched over you. I knew that through you I was likely to discover the fate of Frodo as well as the fate of our world. During those days I talked a lot with Esmeralda. She happened to tell me about when Frodo was born. It was then that I got an idea of why you had the bond with him that you do."

"September 22, 1368, just after sundown." Linwe said absently.

Merenwen smiled, "I see you have now discovered that fact yourself. You two have been talking a lot."

"Is that why I know so much of what he thinks and feels, because we were born so close together?"

"Lord Elrond believes it is either that, or that there was a spiritual bond before you were born with your shared birthday being a result of that bond. He would actually not be surprised to discover that the two of you took your first breaths at the same moment."

"But why? Why us? Why me? Why Frodo?"

"That I am afraid I do not know. The Elves know much but the spirit realm is still a mystery to us. I can tell you that Lord Elrond believes that the measures I took to insure your birth might have made you far more sensitive to the bond. Your shared experiences with Frodo were unusually strong."

"Does Frodo have these visions; has he felt what I have felt?"

"I am afraid you are in better position to discover that. The only way for anyone to know that is for him to tell about them."

Linwe sat thinking of all that she had just been told. She could not yet decide if she felt assured or even more confused. "Merenwen, what am I to do now?"

"You go on as you have been. I have not really told you anything new. I have only confirmed what you had already come to suspect."

"How very Elvish of you," Linwe said with a wry grin, "But seriously, should I tell Frodo?"

"I will leave that for you to decide. If you feel there is a need for it and a time for it then you are most welcome to tell him of what you have shared with him."

Linwe sighed theatrically, "Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will answer both ‘no’ and ‘yes’. Really Merenwen, I thought you were better than that."

Merenwen’s answering chuckle was a silvery lovely sound, "Please forgive me if I go a bit backwards once in a while."

~~~~~

Sam returned from his efforts to plant new trees about the Shire on March 25^th. Frodo was fully recovered by then, and chose not to mention the illness to Sam himself. However with everyone in the Cotton household knowing about it, Sam soon heard about it anyway. He was upset that no one had sent word to him.

"Why didn’t you two send a message? I would have come back right away," demanded Sam of Rosie and Linwe. "Either one of you should have known that I would want to hear about this as soon as possible."

"We didn’t send word to you because Frodo asked us not too." Said Linwe

"I don’t care what he asked you to do or not do. Frodo is always trying to keep folk from helping him."

"Samwise Gamgee!" exclaimed Rosie in outrage "Just what do you think we did? Are you believing left him lying there all by himself to get along on his own as best he could? I will have you know that Linwe was with him all the first night and at his side everyday after until she was sure he was well again. Now try to tell me what you could have done that would have been better than what she did for him."

Sam dropped his head, his face turning red with shame. It was a repentant Sam who looked up at them again. "Your right, I’m sorry. I know I’m not the only one in the Shire who can take good care of him, Linwe." I’m just used to looking after him myself. He and I have been through a lot together."

"I know Sam," said Linwe giving him a hug. "Believe me, I know."

~~~~~~~~

Merry and Pippin had brought Frodo’s things form Crickhollow. Sam did one last inspection of Bag End. Everything was put back where it had been before Frodo had left what now seemed so long ago. Bag End was now ready to receive her rightful owner again.

The morning Frodo returned to his most beloved home, he went in the company of Sam, Merry and Pippin. Somehow it felt important to him that he go back with the very same friends he had left with a year and a half before. For all four it felt like they had at last truly returned home.

When he walked in through the large round green door, the welcoming aroma of fresh baked bread and stew simmering by the fire wafted over him. Linwe and Rosie had come ahead of the others to prepare a celebration luncheon for Frodo’s homecoming. But then had slipped out when they saw the four arriving, feeling that the friends should have this time to themselves.

Frodo felt tears sting his eyes as he looked about him in wonder. "How did you ever do it? It looks as though I never left."

"Well Sir," said Sam "between Merry, Pippin and myself there was not much of Bag End we couldn’t remember."

"What could not be repaired was replaced with an exact copy," added Merry

"Some of the wood work had to be replaced so Sam even had scratches and gouges that matched those in the original, put on the new pieces," chimed in Pippin.

"It is amazing!" exclaimed Frodo "It is so much more than I ever could have hoped for. How can I thank you all enough."

"I’m sure we can think of something." said Merry with a gleam of mischief in his eye, "Your un-ending gratitude could prove to be most useful."

~~~~~~~~

Chapter Nineteen

With the matter of housing settled for Rosie and Sam, Rosie wasted no time in naming May first as the day she and Sam would finally be married.  The wedding was scarcely a month away when a large crate arrived at the Cotton home, addressed to Rosie and Linwe. Much fuss was made over the fact that it bore the seal of the King of Gondor.  When the crate was opened there was a letter resting on a bed of fat, curly wood shavings, which had been used or packing material.  Linwe opened the letter and saw it was from none other than Queen Arwen.

Dearest Linwe and Rosie,

Greetings along with warm wishes to you both, from myself and my husband Elessar, Aragorn or Strider as Sam, Frodo, Merry, and Pippin more commonly know him.  We hope this finds you well and happy.  I feel I know you well, though we have never had the pleasure of meeting in person.  Sam spoke of you often, Rosie, during his stay here in Minis Tirith.  And you, Linwe, have been described in caring detail in letters Frodo has written to us.

In early March we received a letter form Frodo, in which Frodo expressed the wish to show his appreciation to you both for the warm hospitality he received from Rosie’s family and for both your efforts in helping to restore Bag End.  Being reasonably sure that Sam would soon ask for Rosie’s hand in marriage, Frodo thought that the two of you might like something special to make new gowns for the wedding.  Frodo asked me if I might choose materials and send them to you, a task I was happy to accept.

For Rosie, I chose an Elvish made fabric of Periwinkle blue.  I remember one day, walking through the gardens here, with Sam.  He pointed out the periwinkles to me and said they made him think of you, that they were one of your favorite flowers, and that he thought you looked especially lovely in that shade of blue.

For Linwe, Frodo suggested that you might like something in a soft pink, as he believed that to be your favorite color.

         I hope that some day I will get the pleasure of meeting you both and spending time with you.  I would very much love to see the Shire, the homeland of four of the bravest, kindest people I have ever met.   

                                                                          Wishing much happiness to you both,

                                                                         Arwen Evenstar

For the next four weeks, Linwe was kept busy with sewing and other wedding preparations.  Since the groom was one of the famous four travelers, there was hardly a person in the Shire who did not want to come.  The whole event started to take on the characteristics of a large festival.  Farmer Cotton had been concerned with how he was going to afford to feed so many, but as arrangements were being made, one person after another refused payment for their goods and services.  Everyone wanted to show their gratitude to the travelers and to the Cotton family as well, for starting the revolt that had freed the Shire.

The day of the wedding was as perfect a spring day as anyone could want.  The wedding was to be held in the party field, by the young Mallorn tree, which was in full bloom.  Frodo and Sam arrived at the party field to join other close friends and family awaiting the arrival of the guests.  Frodo had not seen Linwe in a week.  He had missed her more than he expected to.  Mayor Whitwell was to conduct the ceremony, but that left Frodo with nearly as much to do as Linwe, so they had not been able to find time for even ten minutes of quiet chat.

Linwe was standing by the Mallorn tree, talking with Merry, Pippin and a few others.  When Frodo saw her he stopped, in mid stride.  He had of course heard when the things he had asked Arwen to send had arrived, but Rosie and Linwe had decided that no one was to see even so much as a single stitch of the gowns until the day of the wedding.  Frodo was not in anyway prepared for the vision before him.

When Frodo had written to Arwen, with his request, he had asked her to choose for Linwe, a fabric in soft pink remembering Linwe’s own soft pink blush that stole across her cheeks when she was embarrassed.  Somehow, Arwen happened to choose just the perfect shade.  There stood Linwe, in a pale pink gown, with a slender bodice that flared out at her hips in long generous folds of fabric.  The sleeves of the gown were Elvish in design, bell shape with the fabric wrapping around the arms in a way that made them resemble a leaf.  The scoop neck line was accented in embroidery, again of Elvish design, and cut wide showing a considerable amount of Linwe’s delicate skin.  Linwe had left her hair down as usual, but on top of it she had set a circlet of pale pink and white flowers, entwined with ivy, and pale pink ribbons that trailed down from it and wound themselves through the curls of her hair.

Sam had walked on several steps before he realized that Frodo was no longer with him.  Sam turned back and saw the mesmerized look on Frodo’s face, then following the direction of Frodo’s gaze he saw Linwe.  Sam smiled “Are you coming Frodo?”

Frodo closed his eyes for a moment, when he opened them again they were turned in Sam’s direction, Frodo smiled a little sheepishly.  “It is a fine day for your wedding Sam, a truly fine day.”

Not very long after Sam and Frodo had arrived, Rosie emerged from the small pavilion where she had been making her final preparations.  Frodo stopped looking at Linwe long enough to notice Sam noticing Rosie.  Rosie’s gown was cut in a similar style to Linwe’s but the delicate embroidery was accented with tiny clear crystals that caught the afternoon sun.  Her hair was piled in loose curls atop her head, some of them trailing down around her face and along her neck.  Tucked in among the curls were periwinkle blossoms.  Frodo was suddenly overwhelmed with happiness for his dearest friend.

It seemed before Frodo was even aware of it; the wedding ceremony was over with the feasting and merry making now well underway.  Time after time Frodo would find himself standing watching Linwe from a distance.  Once in a while he would go to stand close to her but then someone one would come and whisk her off for a dance or some such thing.  Frodo was standing by him self, not far from the sapling Mallorn tree, watching Linwe with her latest dance partner, remembering a time when he would have been dancing too, though now that time seemed so very long ago.

“You know every lass here, is ready to pull all of her hair out tonight?” 

Frodo was startled out of his reverie and turned to find Rosie standing beside him.  “What was that?”

“I said that every lass here is ready to pull her hair out, Linwe’s hair that is.”

Frodo’s eyes widened in puzzlement, “And why is that?”

“I should think you could see that for yourself, Frodo dear, you have been watching her all of the afternoon and evening.  It is because Linwe has the attention of every lad here.”

Frodo looked about.  Sure enough, what Rosie said was true.  It seemed that nearly every young lad there was looking at Linwe.

“Looking at her now, out there, apparently having a wonderful time, would you believe that not so very long ago she did her best to be invisible at large gatherings such as this?”  asked Rosie.

“At this very moment, no, though at other times I could believe it.” Frodo said quietly.

“I was just speaking with Merry’s mother, she is quit amazed in the changes she sees in Linwe since she came here.  It seems that Linwe did her very best to be nearly invisible the entire time that she was at Brandy Hall. Now here she is dancing as though she does this at every festival.  She has stolen at least half the hearts here. And as if that was not enough she is totally unaware of all of it.  She is an innocent.”

Frodo smiled “Yes, she is.”

“And it is that innocence that makes us all love her that much more.”

“Yes it is,” said Frodo as he watched Linwe and Merry dance together.

“Go and dance with her, Frodo.”

“I don’t think so, Rosie.”

“Frodo Baggins, go dance with her or I shall have Sam throw you into her arms as you once threw him into mine!”

Frodo laughed and smiled, “I will, but you have to promise me that I will have a dance with you as well!”

“I wouldn’t dream of missing a dance with you, sir, but not until you have taken Linwe for a turn,” laughed Rosie.

~~~~~~

Late that evening, Sam and Rosie retired to Bag End.  Frodo had insisted that they have the place to themselves for a few days making arrangements for himself to stay at The Green Dragon.  Sam had protested this of course, but Linwe stepped in, firmly telling Sam that it would be a good opportunity to begin getting settled as a couple without a lot of others underfoot.  She pointed this out to Sam in such a tone that he was afraid to argue with her further, thus the whole matter was settled.

Soon after the newlyweds had slipped away from the festivities, Linwe was sitting listening to Merry, Pippin, and Frodo as they talked about the goings on of the Shire.  Linwe was tired; it had been a very long day.  She leaned her head on her arm, dozing off before she knew it.  One moment she was listening to the three talking about the prospects for that years pipe weed crop, the next thing she knew, Frodo was gently nudging her shoulder.  “Linwe!  Come on, why don’t I walk you home now.”

Linwe sat up a bit, blinked a few times trying to take in where she was.  When her eyes fell on Frodo’s she smiled.  “All right, I suppose so.”

“How about Merry and I walk with you, Frodo, so then you have company on the walk back to the Green Dragon,” suggested Pippin.

Merry answered before Frodo could.  “No Pippin, I think Frodo can manage this on his own, we need to check the ponies before we turn in.”

“No, we don’t Merry; the ponies are perfectly fine…”

Merry kicked Pippin in the leg under the table.  “We really need to check those ponies Pippin,” said Merry with a slight jerk of his head towards Frodo and Linwe.

Suddenly Pippin’s eye’s lit up with understanding.  “Oh Yes!  How could I have forgotten the ponies?  I think mine was pulling up a wee bit lame on the way here, I really should look in on him.”

The four of them stood up together, Merry and Pippin each gave Linwe a good night kiss on the cheek, then they went one way as Frodo gave Linwe his arm and they set off another way.

Frodo and Linwe went back over little details of the day as they made their way towards the Cotton farm.  It was a beautiful night, the perfect ending to an equally beautiful day.  The moon was nearly full; stars were twinkling across the soft night sky.  Both were enjoying the peaceful walk, so much so that each was rather disappointed to arrive at the doorstep of the Cotton home.  For a moment they stood facing one another saying nothing

“I just wanted to tell you that you looked really lovely today, you still do even.  It was worth waiting for,” said Frodo stumbling over his words.

“Oh well, thank you.  Thank you again as well for the fabric and things to make the gown; you really did not have to do that.”

Frodo could see in the light from a lamp by the door that Linwe was blushing.  It matched the shade of her gown so perfectly that it made him smile.  “It wasn’t that much.”

Frodo looked down to notice he was still holding Linwe’s hand.  He thought for a moment how pretty her hand was and how good it felt to hold it in his own.  Finally he looked up at her again; “Well I suppose it is time you went inside.”

“Yes, I suppose so.  Thank you for walking me home, Frodo.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“Good night, Frodo.”

“Good night, Linwe.”  Then remembering Merry and Pippin when they took their leave of her, Frodo suddenly found himself leaning forward to kiss her tenderly on the cheek.

Chapter Twenty

A Hobbitess had not lived at Bag End, since Bilbo’s mother Belladonna had resided there. She had been gone for many years by the time Frodo and Sam had arrived on the scene. For them one Hobbitess would have been significant change, but the changes with two in the house were unanticipated though that is not to say unwelcome.

Mostly the changes were rather small, like flowers. There were little arrangements of flowers in nearly every room. Frodo and Sam did not raise a fuss over this; in fact they discovered that they rather liked the cheerful presence of a bowl of blossoms. One day when Frodo and Sam were strolling about the garden, Sam made a suggestion. "Mr. Frodo, I was thinking of putting in some additional flower beds, for cutting purposes you understand."

"I think that is a wonderful idea, Sam. I think Rosie and Linwe would appreciate that very much." Frodo looked at Sam they smiled at one another in wordless understanding.

There was the matter of food. Now there really is no such thing as a Hobbit who can’t cook. Sam and Frodo both were pretty fair hands when it came to using a stew pot or baking bread. But there was something subtly superior to what Rosie and Linwe’s hands produced. Rosie had a talent for turning out the most delicate of pastries and Linwe had a gift for using in delicious and sometimes unexpected ways. What was good, simple, Hobbit cooking for most, became works of art at the touch of their fair hands.

Another small, comforting detail, was the little bundles of herbs that Frodo soon found inhabiting his wardrobes. Linwe had taken to seeing his clothes were kept laundered. Another task that Frodo was perfectly capable of tending on his own. But when Linwe washed and pressed his clothes she left little bundles of dried herbs tucked in among the crisp folds of his shirts and tied to the hangers in his wardrobe. Frodo found he enjoyed the fresh smelling fragrance that wafted out when ever he opened the wardrobe doors.

When Rosie or Linwe took a bath the gentle aroma of the bath salts they used would waft out of the bathroom and down the passage long after they had finished their ablutions. Just the mere presence of the two Hobbitesses added a gentle warmth, Frodo and Sam had not realized that they had been missing. Granted they had both been guests at the Cotton home for an extended period of time. But there these little details had been lost in surroundings of a much larger family. In the familiar, quiet surroundings of Bag End they stood out like the first flowers of spring in a winter weary landscape, and were equally as welcome.

The change Frodo liked the most was the way Linwe seemed to have a gift for knowing just what Frodo needed often it seemed before he himself did. She would appear in his study with a cup of tea, just as he was about to come looking for one. As Frodo worked to put Bilbo’s notes in order, Linwe would come to rub his shoulders or massage his temples. Once in a while Frodo would stop and think that in some mysterious way, Linwe always knew.

~~~~~

Frodo sat up in his room, late one evening. It was a rather chilly night for June. Frodo couldn’t seem to get his mind to settle so that he could sleep, so he decided to take advantage of the unseasonable chill and build a small fire, in hope that it would help him to relax. Once the fire was built, he sat down in his armchair. In his mind he started to go over comforting soothing thoughts, a very quiet part of his mind noted that most of the thoughts were of Linwe. Frodo drifted off to sleep where he sat.

~~~~~~

Linwe had decided to retire early for the evening. The first of the summer vegetables were coming ripe, so she and Rosie had been busy that day with preparations to start canning and preserving for the winter stores.

Feeling a little tense she tossed about in bed. Finally she decided that a bath would likely soothe her. After a good long soak in lavender scented water, she got out, dried herself with a thick towel, relishing the softness of it against her skin, then she donned her favorite linen night dress. Soon after climbing back into bed she was fast asleep.

Sometime later, Linwe was startled awake by a nightmare. In her dream she saw leering faces. Vile creatures clawed at her. Whips lashed at her. She woke up with a start. She sat up in bed, her breathing was heavy, her brow damp with perspiration. She sat there for a moment trying to shake off the nightmare, but is stayed with her. "Frodo!" she cried with sudden understanding. Linwe sprang from her bed, dashed out of her room then down the passage to Frodo’s room, on swift silent feet.

Without bothering to knock she let herself into Frodo’s room. She found him sitting in his chair by a small fire that did not appear to have been burning for very long. Frodo was asleep but struggling in a nightmare. Linwe went to his side and called out his name as she shook him in an attempt to wake him. Suddenly Frodo’s eyes flew open. Linwe was shocked to see that they were blazing in fury. Without warning he reached up, grabbed her then threw her across the room. Linwe slammed into a small cabinet. A vase sitting on top of the cabinet was knocked off in the impact and fell to the ground, shattering when it hit the tile floor. Linwe then fell to the floor herself having hit her head on the edge of the cabinet.

Frodo awoke with a start at the sound of the shattering vase. He sat for a moment stunned, taking in the scene before him. Linwe lay in a crumpled heap on the floor, apparently unconscious. As Frodo collected his wits about him, he rushed over and knelt down next to Linwe.

"Linwe!" he cried. He reached out to touch her then pulled back his hand in fear of hurting her more. "Oh Linwe! What have I done!" Linwe did not answer, she just lay there, pale and still, her hair scattered about her. In her fall her nightdress had shifted, causing the wide opening of the neck to shift to one side and slip off of her left shoulder. Frodo felt tears welling up in his eyes. "Linwe, I’m so sorry," he whispered. Finally he reached out with a trembling hand to gently brush some hair from her face. Linwe moved her head slightly, a low moan escaping her lips.

"Linwe? Can you hear me?"

"Frodo?"

"Yes, it’s me. Don’t move too much, you may be badly hurt," said Frodo laying a hand gently on her head. "I should go get Sam and Rosie, maybe we need to send for Healer Burrows."

"No Frodo, don’t leave me, not just yet anyway." Linwe said in a small voice.

"But you have taken a bad fall."

"Please," she said her voice a little louder and stronger, "I will be fine in a bit. There is no need to disturb Sam and Rosie."

Frodo hesitated a moment, "All right, I will wait a little while."

Frodo stayed kneeling at Linwe’s side. He took one of Linwe’s hands and clutched it in his own, his face filled with remorse. "My dear Linwe, I am so sorry!"

Linwe held her eyes closed for a moment then blinked several times. "What happened?"

"I was having a nightmare. I felt something grab my shoulder and start shaking me, so I tried to push it away. I guess it was you who I pushed. I didn’t actually wake up until I heard the vase break. I am so sorry, I never meant to hurt you."

Linwe smiled weakly up at Frodo. "It’s all right Frodo. I’m fine, or I will be in a moment. Can you help me sit up?"

"I’m not sure that is such a good idea. I still think you need to let me go and get Rosie, she really should take a look at you."

"No! I am just fine. A bump on the head is all, but this floor is hard, so I really would like to sit up."

"I suppose if it is too much then we can ease you back down, or maybe I can lift you into the bed."

Frodo managed to work an arm under her then he carefully helped her sit up, easing her back against the cabinet. "There now, how do you feel?"

Linwe sat with her eyes closed. "I’m a little dizzy, but it will soon pass."

"I am so sorry."

"It was an accident, Frodo, nothing more. I am fine, really!" said Linwe trying to sit up a bet straighter. The movement caused the neck of her gown to slip a bit further down her shoulder. Frodo’s eyes were drawn to the movement. At that moment a piece of wood shifted in the fire, causing flames to flare up high. In the brighter light Frodo caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a scar.

"What is this mark on your shoulder?" he asked while staring intently at its place.

Linwe gave Frodo a quick nervous glance "Oh, it’s nothing. It is just an old scar form childhood." She then tried to pull the fabric of her gown up to cover it but it slipped off her shoulder again.

Frodo continued to gaze intently at the slightly shimmering line. "No, I know I have seen that mark before." Slowly he reached up and touched it then quickly pulled his hand back. "It’s cold!" First shock, then slowly fear swept through him.. "No! It can’t be!" He exclaimed in disbelief, "Linwe, tell me where you got this." He demanded.

Linwe was now fully alert. "It is nothing! It is not important!" She said wincing at his tone.

Frodo looked straight into Linwe’s eyes. She saw anger flare up briefly there. "Tell me how you got that scar." He said coldly.

Linwe hesitated, her lip began to tremble. "I got it from the same blade that gave you yours. At the exact same moment you were wounded, so was I." She said quietly tears as tears spilled down her cheeks. Linwe watched, as Frodo seemed to collapse in on him self. His face filled with pain and horror. "How is that possible?"

Linwe closed her eyes trying to pull together her thoughts. At last she opened them but she kept her gaze turned towards her hands that fidgeted in her lap. "So much of what you went through, on the quest, I shared with you. The wounding from the Nazgul blade, the fall of Gandalf, Shelob’s sting, even the end when you succumbed to the power of the ring and fought with Gollum. I felt it. I saw it. It was as though I was in your head. Through all of those months I saw fragments of what you went through. I could even feel the weight of the ring as though I carried it myself at times."

"How?" Asked Frodo from where he sat with his fists supporting his head, his eyes clenched shut.

"You and I are tied together spiritually, most likely since before we were born, our possibly simultaneous births being a result of that bond."

Frodo stood up and started pacing about the room. Finally he stopped before the fireplace. Leaning against the mantel, he gazed into the fire for many long moments before speaking again. "How long have you known of this?"

"I started to put it together the day you told me your tale of the quest. During all of those months of sharing your experiences, I never knew who or what all of the visions were about. Two days after you told me your tale, Merenwen came to see me. I told her all that had happened, all that I had started to put together. That was when she told me the truth of what she knew."

Linwe sighed "When she had stayed with me at Brandy Hall, she had told me that the measures she had taken to insure my birth. Were measures used to insure the birth of a healthy Elf child. Those measures tried to do just that, make me a healthy Elf. I was born a Hobbit with some uniquely Elf like qualities. She told me that one of them appeared to be an ability to see other places and times. That was how she explained my visions to me then. But Merenwen, it turned out, knew there was more to it than that. She knew of your quest and the wounding you had received at the hands of the Nazgul. It became apparent to her what it was I was truly experiencing. She said nothing to anyone, for fear of both our lives. If the dark lord had some how found out what was happening to me he could have used me to stop you then likely kill us both.

Merenwen waited there at Brandy Hall. She watched over me and talked with Esmeralda. It was Esme who mentioned our shared birthday. It was Saradoc who mentioned that you had been born just after sunset, which Merenwen knew was about the same time of my birth. As soon as Merenwen was sure I was recovering, she left for Rivendell to speak with Lord Elrond of it all she had learned. It was he who came to the conclusion that we were tied to one another in spirit. He even proposed that it was possible that we even took our first breaths at the very same moment."

"Why did you not tell me this before?" Frodo asked quietly.

"I didn’t know how. I was not even sure that I should. I didn’t want you to be hurt by it."

Long moments passed when the only sound to be heard was the crackling of the fire and the crickets chirping outside the window.

"How long have you experienced these visions?"

"Merenwen believes that I have had them all of my life. Even as a baby I would go into unexplained trances. She and my parents decided not to say anything to me about them since I was not aware of them when I came out of them. I remembered nothing."

"Why did you come in here tonight?" he asked in a strained voice, his back still turned towards her.

"I came because you were having a nightmare. I started to have it too. I woke from it then realized it was you who was having it. I came in here to wake you from it."

It did not matter that Frodo had his back to her. Linwe could feel the confusion and anguish inside him. She wanted to go to him and give him what comfort she could, but thought it better to wait and see what he would do or say.

Finally he spoke. "From the very start of this, everything I did, I did to protect those that I love. I took that cursed ring and left the Shire, to protect everyone here. I said that I would carry the ring to Mordor, because there were Elves, Humans, and Dwarves I could call friends. I did not want all that was dear to them lost. I thought I was blessed to have eight friends volunteer to help me with this task but then Gandalf fell. To protect the rest of them I tried to go on without them. Sam nearly died trying to follow me. Boromir died at the hands of Uruk-Hai sent to capture me. The others just barely survived their own journeys. Merry and Pippin will always bear scars for what they went through at the hands of Orcs.

When it was all over all I wanted was to come home. But I returned to find that the very evil we had all worked so worked hard to protect the Shire from, had come and done its damage anyway. You alone seemed untouched. You alone seemed unhurt by it all. I have taken so much comfort from believing that at least you alone had remained unharmed."

Linwe rose up and went to stand behind Frodo. She reached out with one hand to lay it on his shoulder. "Frodo, please don’t torture yourself like this."

"How many scars do you bear?" He asked, his voice flat and lifeless.

"I don’t understand?"

"You said that you shared much of what I went through. You bear one scar from the attack of the Nazgul. How many more of my scars do you bear?"

Tears spilled down Linwe’s cheeks, "Does it matter, Frodo? Does it really change anything?"

"Please, Linwe," his voice starting to give way to his inner torment, "I want to know the truth."

Linwe sighed, her shoulders fell, "There are two more," she whispered. "One is on my neck from Shelob, the other is on my right hand where your finger was bitten off."

Frodo gave a great shuddering exhale of breath. With his eyes closed he kept his face towards the fire. He felt empty. He felt like all that he had worked to regain of himself, since returning to home, had suddenly escaped him again. He wondered if he would ever find peace, let alone happiness. "I don’t know how much longer I can bear this, Linwe. It seems that no matter how hard I try, this still hurts the people I care for the most. I didn’t want it to hurt you too. Now I find I find that I seem to have hurt you the most."

"Frodo, look at me!" Linwe’s voice cracked like a whip

Frodo didn’t turn. Linwe took his arm then pulled him around to face her. His eyes remained cast downwards, and his face was damp from the tears he had shed. Gently Linwe took his face into her hands. She lifted it until she could look into his eyes. "I love you, Frodo. The only way you could ever truly hurt me is by pushing me away and refusing my love. Please, Frodo, please let me love you."

Frodo looked into at Linwe, his eyes pleading. "I don’t know if I can."

"You can. Just close your eyes."

Frodo closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath Linwe leaned forward then gently pressed her lips to his and kissed him. She heard his startled intake of breath. She kissed him again, this time she felt his lips move hesitantly against her own. She pressed her lips to his a third time, letting the kiss linger, caressing his lips with her own. Frodo parted his lips slightly. The kiss deepened. Linwe slid her hand up along his neck to the back of his head where she let her fingers get tangled up in his softly curling hair. Gently she pulled him towards herself.

Without thinking of it, Frodo slipped his arms around her, drawing her body close to his. The longer he kissed her, the tighter he held her, the more his resistance weakened, the more he wanted to love her freely. In his mind flashed image after image. Memories of her hand in his, her comforting presence and soothing voice when he was ill. The ever-present loose curls that trailed down into her face, that seemed to beckon to him to reach out and touch them. The way it had felt holding her in his arms as they had danced at Sam and Rosie’s wedding. There were so many brief glimpses of blushes and smiles, the memory of each one inviting him to love her. He wanted to.

Linwe felt herself, melting into Frodo’s embrace, savoring this kiss, and was overcome with how right it all felt, like coming home. But underneath all of this she could sense that Frodo was still holding back, while the rest of him yearned to love her more. Linwe’s own passions started to wane as she felt a cold hand of fear take hold of her heart. What if she was never able to break through the wall of resistance Frodo had built up around his heart? The thought of never being able to freely show Frodo how much she loved him made her heart want to break. Then from deep within her, Linwe’s more stubborn self rose up. Linwe realized that this was her moment. Now was the time for her to do something drastic that not even Frodo in all his grim determination could not ignore. She took a deep breath then pulled back from Frodo, removing herself from the comfort of his arms. As she stepped back, she looked into his eyes. There she saw the passion and longing. She kept her gaze firmly locked on his as she reached up and slowly started to undo the three buttons at the top of her nightdress. Blushing deeply, embarrassed at her own daring she allowed the gown to slip off her shoulders and fall, pooling about her feet.

The site of her nude body in the glow of the firelight, took Frodo’s breath away. He could only stare in amazement as Linwe stepped forward and then reached up to start unfastening the buttons on his nightshirt. When all had been undone, she slid her hands inside, slowly she pushed the fabric off of his shoulders until it too, lay in a pool at his feet.

Frodo shivered as Linwe’s hands glided down his arms. When she reached his hands she gently pulled them around her as she stepped into his embrace. She let her hands slide back up his arms to the bare skin of his chest, making him gasp. Finally she leaned her head forward. With the slightest touch of Linwe’s lips Frodo felt the last of his resistance slip away. He suddenly found him self starving for her, kissing her mouth hungrily. She shivered. He held her closer.

Chapter Twenty-one

Sam and Rosie woke up to the sound of roosters, from around the neighborhood, calling out their greeting to the sun. After taking a moment for a little affectionate nuzzle and a good morning kiss, they got up to start their day. Sam headed out to the garden, to get a feel for the day as well as the sort of weather they would have (It felt like it was going to be warmer today). Rosie went to the kitchen, stirred, up the banked fire then put water on for tea. Once this was done she went back down the passage to Linwe’s room to wake her up. This morning Rosie noticed that Linwe’s door was ajar, but gave it little thought. When she stepped into Linwe’s room she was rather surprised to find Linwe’s bed empty and unmade. Rosie checked the bathroom, when she found it empty as well, she decided that Linwe must have got up early and had decided to go outside for a bit and was most likely with Sam now. Rosie decided to leave Linwe be, and set about getting breakfast by herself.

About half an hour later Sam came back in from the garden. "Sam did you see Linwe anywhere outside?" Rosie asked when he came in alone.

Sam shrugged "No I didn’t. Should I have?"

"I don’t know. I went to wake her up and found her bed empty as well as unmade. I assumed she must have got up early then went out for a bit of morning air." Said Rosie, her voice edged with mild concern.

"I am sure that is all there is to it. Just let me go wake Frodo, then I will go back out to look around for her."

Sam headed down the passage to Frodo’s room. He took little notice that the door already stood open a couple of inches, he just pushed it open the rest of the way and stepped into the room. Sam did not notice the two, small mounds of white fabric on the floor by the fire place, but he did notice that the drapes around Frodo’s bed were already open, which was a little unusual. Sam was somewhat surprised by this but he was more astonished when he walked up to the side of the bed and found Linwe nestled in Frodo’s arms. Both of them appeared to be without a stitch of clothing, from what he could see. Sam turned to left the room silently closing the door behind him.

"Well that didn’t take very long!" Said Rosie, surprised to see Sam return to the kitchen so quickly. "Is Frodo all right?"

Sam didn’t answer.

Rosie looked up from the bread she was slicing. She took a moment to really look at Sam and noticed that his face was white except for two red spots on his cheeks, which he got when he was angry or upset. "Sam, dear, what is wrong?"

"I found Linwe." He said shortly.

"You did, where is she?"

"In Mr. Frodo’s room."

"Frodo’s room! Is he ill? I will just go see if she needs me to get her anything." She said as she started past Sam, without waiting for him to reply.

As she was going past, Sam reached out to take hold of her arm to stop her. "Frodo isn’t sick." He said biting off each word.

"Then what is wrong, why is Linwe there?"

"She is in his bed with him." Said Sam through clenched teeth.

"Rosie’s eyes got very wide, she took a step back, then smiled a very small smile of triumph. "Oh! I see then! I guess I will just finish getting breakfast for the two of us, then I think we should just go on about our day leaving them be."

"You are taking this awfully calmly." Sam accused.

"Why should I be upset. We both have known for ages that they are in love. I would have preferred that they wait until they were married first, of course."

"Rose Gamgee!" Cried Sam in shock. "I don’t believe I am hearing this, not from you!"

"What good will it do for me to get upset? You seem to be doing enough of that for the both of us." Said Rosie as she went about setting the kitchen table for breakfast. "They are in love. They have been from the first moment they laid eyes on one another. I know you remember that evening in my parents’ house. Everyone in the room could feel the bond between them."

"I do remember. But this is Frodo and Linwe. I expect more of Frodo, I expect him to treat a lass with respect as well as consideration. Especially when that lass is kin to me, Merry, Pippin and more importantly to himself!"

"Sam, Darling, think about this. You know that in all of these months Frodo had fought his feelings for Linwe. I know it has saddened you very much to see him doing that. Something apparently happened last night to make him stop resisting. Frodo and Linwe need each other. If it means one night of indiscretion to allow that love to truly live, then I for one, will just accept this for the greater good. Now sit down and eat your breakfast."

"It’s not right!" Grumbled Sam as he sat down to eat.

~~~~~~

Frodo woke up and smiled, delighted in the comforting presence of Linwe nestled in his arms. He had only to shift his head slightly to kiss the top of her head, which he did, several times. He was afraid of moving anymore than this for fear of waking her. What if she woke up then decided it was all a terrible mistake. It would be more than his already wounded heart could bear.

"There is no mistake." He heard Linwe murmur in a sleepy voice. "I love you."

Frodo sighed then relaxed. "I love you, Linwe." He said quietly.

Linwe looked up into his face smiling softly. "That is the first time you have actually said that to me."

"I’m sorry it has taken me so long to say it."

"It is better that you were long in saying it, than to never have you say it at all."

"This is true." He said then leaned forward to kiss her. It was a long lingering kiss with hints of more passionate feelings threatening to ignite once more. Frodo pulled away. "You know we really can not go on like this."

"We can’t?" Linwe said with mild surprise.

"No," Frodo said decisively.

"Then what do you think we should do?" asked Linwe

"I think we should get married." Said Frodo

"Well there is an idea." Agreed Linwe. "But, I am afraid we can’t."

"We can’t? Why not, don’t you want to?" Frodo was quite startled.

"Well yes, I would love to marry you. Nothing would please me more." She said with a smile that glowed with her love for him.

"Then what is the problem?" Frodo could feel himself getting frustrated

"You have not asked me," Linwe said simply.

"I sort of thought that was what I have been doing?" Said Frodo now feeling very bewildered.

"No dearest. You said we should get married. Then you asked me if I wanted to get married. But you have not asked for my hand."

"Oh! Well then, Linwe will you marry me?"

Frodo missed the glimmer of annoyance that passed through Linwe’s eyes. "Hmmm Let me think on this for a moment. NO!"

"No? Why not, I thought…that is to say…and last night we…" Frodo was too flustered to finish a sentence.

"Frodo Baggins, a lass does not want to receive a marriage proposal in this manner. You just threw that out there as if you were asking me if I would like some tea with my toast. Last night was lovely and I think necessary, but if you want to marry me you will have to ask me properly?"

"Properly, what would you consider to be proper?"

"I don’t know, Frodo, a little courting might be nice, but you have to figure it out."

"Courting?"

"Yes Frodo, courting, a proper betrothal! You’re a reasonably smart lad, I am sure something will come to you." Exclaimed Linwe as she gathered a bed sheet about her and left his bed with an amazing amount of dignity for one so attired. Frodo would have found her to be terribly adorable at this point were it not for the fact that he was busy being frustrated and confused. Linwe picked her nightdress up from the floor. "Now, It is late in the morning. I was supposed to go to market day with Rosie this morning but I suppose she has left by now. You should probably go have a talk with Sam."

"Sam, why Sam?"

Linwe rolled her eyes skyward. "Obviously it has not occurred to you that Sam has most likely been in here at his usual time, to wake you, and had the surprise of finding us both."

Frodo’s face went white. "I forgot about Sam. I some how don’t think he will be pleased with this at all."

"Hence the reason you need to go straight away and talk to him, my dearest love." Said Linwe. She blew him a kiss then gathered her sheet about her more securely before marching out of the room with her head held high.

Frodo sighed. "Yes, I suppose your right." He muttered to himself.

~~~~~

It was a nervous Frodo that stepped outside to look for Sam. He did not have far to look; all he had to do was follow the sounds of wood being chopped with what sounded like considerable force.

"Good morning, Sam." Said Frodo with much blushing.

"Mr. Frodo" said Sam with a curt nod, between strikes of his ax.

"I think we need to talk, about what you may have (ahem) seen this morning." Frodo wondered if this could possibly get any worse.

"To be perfectly honest, Mr. Frodo, I think I am too angry to speak to you at the moment."

"Sam please talk to me." Begged Frodo wincing at how hard Sam was swinging the ax.

Whack!

Whack!

Whack!

"She is kin!" Whack! "Not some cheap hussy from a tavern in Minis Tirith!" Whack!

"You are right Sam."

"She deserves to be treated with more respect." Whack!

"I know Sam. I am sorry."

"What were you thinking of? How could you do that?" Whack!

"It just happened. If it makes any difference to you, I really do love her." Frodo said quietly.

Sam stopped chopping wood and paused to catch his breath. "I know you do Frodo." Sam said with mild frustration, "Everyone has known for months how you feel about her, that is everyone but you!" Sam heaved a great sigh of exasperation. "Maybe Rosie was right, maybe you did need something drastic to get you to see it. I don’t mind telling you that I think you have been behaving the fool, Mr. Frodo. I don’t know what all went on last night but it should not have come to this."

"You are right, Sam. It should not have."

"What’s done is done." Muttered Sam no longer angry. "I suppose you will be getting married now. When do you think the wedding will be."

"I have not the faintest idea. I asked her this morning if she would marry me, and she said ‘no’." Said Frodo glumly.

"She said ‘no’!" Exclaimed Sam in shock. "Why did she say ‘no’?"

"She said she wants to be courted or a proper betrothal."

"But that makes no sense!" Cried Sam in exasperation. "Where is she? I am going to have a talk with her right now!"

"No Sam. I think this is something I need to take care of myself." Said Frodo, relieved that at least Sam no longer seemed angry with him.

"I suppose your right." Sighed Sam "Though I don’t understand any of it.’

~~~~~~

Later that day, Frodo was in his study, trying to get some work done on pulling Bilbo’s notes together, but he could not get his mind off of the situation with Linwe. Frodo had never done any courting before. Somehow, perhaps because of the ring, it was something that had just never really mattered to him. Now Frodo was at a total loss as to what it was Linwe wanted from him.

Frodo’s thoughts were interrupted by a quiet knock on the door. "Come in." he called. It was Rosie who came through the door. "Hello Rosie. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Actually, I thought I might be able to help you."

"How so?"

"I thought I might be able to help you with Linwe."

"Yes, I could use help there." Said Frodo with a wry smile. "Rosie, I have never even thought about courting anyone before."

"And you have not the vaguest notion of what is expected of you?"

"That is exactly it."

"Frodo, you have to first understand that Linwe has loved you from the first moment she saw you. From that moment she has been cautiously expressing that love in a variety of small ways. She has been very carefully nurturing your trust in her. She has been doing this with great patience for many months now, because she understood that it was what you needed. She has not told me all of what happened last night, but it is apparent that the two of you came to some sort of understanding. To reach that understanding, Linwe has had to give and give of herself. Now it is your turn to give to her. She needs assurance that you will not take her for granted."

"I don’t think I could ever take her for granted."

"Yes, but you need to make that clear to Linwe. She has come along way for you Frodo, and she is willing to go further still. Just show her that you are willing to go any distance for her as well."

At this point Frodo was starting to wonder if maybe he should not have just pushed Linwe out the door as soon as her gown had come off. "How do I do that?"

"Well, it could be that you need to just take your time with her as she has with you. But then again, maybe there is something you only have to say to her. I think you are the better one to sort that out. In fact you need to be the one to sort this out."

"Thank you Rosie. I think you have given me something more specific to consider." Said Frodo.

~~~~~

Frodo thought about what Rosie had said, the rest of the day. By the time he sat down for supper he knew what he thought he should do.

As soon as the supper things had been cleared away, Frodo invited Linwe to take a walk around the garden with him. Linwe accepted. It was a lovely moonlit night, only the brightest stars were able to out shine the moon’s glow. Frodo and Linwe walked in silence. When they came to a garden bench, Frodo suggested that they sit down. When they were seated, Frodo took one of Linwe’s hands into his own, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "Linwe, I have been doing a lot of thinking today." He said turning to face her. "I love you. And because of you, I feel strong enough to say that, to allow myself to feel that. It is the greatest gift you have given me."

"And I love you, Frodo."

"There is more that I must say to you." Frodo took a couple of deep breaths reached into his pocket and removed the necklace that Linwe knew he usually wore under his shirt. "Queen Arwen gave me this necklace when I told her and Aragorn that I would be leaving Gondor to return home. Arwen gave it to me, she told me that when the time came, I could take her place and go with the Elves, into the West. I love you and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my days with you, but I still hurt, you know that. Last night you helped make that pain not only bearable, but you helped to make it something that I could truly live with. Loving you makes that possible, I see that now. I don’t know for how long, but maybe with you I could live a peaceful life here. You give me that hope. If not, if the pain gets more difficult to bear, I would hope that you would be willing to come with me, to leave with the Elves. I know it is asking a lot of you, on top of all that you have already given me. I will understand if you would rather not. I want you to know that I will love you in any way that you will allow me. Will you, Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche, marry me?"

"Yes, Frodo Baggins, I will marry you. Even if it means going to the very ends of the earth with you."

Frodo smiled tears of joy spilled down his cheeks. Frodo took the necklace and reached up to put it around Linwe’s delicate neck. "Arwen Evenstar, once gave this necklace to Aragorn as a reminder of her love and devotion to him as he set out on the quest for the ring. I would like you to wear it now, as a reminder of my love and devotion to you in all of the times to come."

Chapter Twenty-two

Sam and Rosie woke up to the sound of roosters crowing from around the neighborhood. They dressed then went to the kitchen to find Linwe and Frodo already there, with breakfast ready.

"Well this is a surprise!" Exclaimed Sam

"Linwe and I thought we owed you two for yesterday." Said Frodo smiling. "Waking up before the two of you was a bit tricky to work out."

"So we stayed up all night." Put in Linwe.

"You didn’t have to do that." Protested Rosie.

"Yes, they did," teased Sam.

"It’s all right." Assured Frodo "I don’t think either of us could have slept much anyway there was so much we had a lot to talk about. You see," said Frodo taking Linwe’s hand "I asked Linwe, and quite properly I might add, to marry me last night. This time she said yes."

"Oh, this is wonderful!" cried Rosie as she went to hug Linwe. Sam hugged Frodo, then Rosie hugged Frodo, and Sam hugged Linwe.

When Sam pulled away from Linwe he noticed the necklace she now wore. "You have given her Lady Arwen’s necklace!" He exclaimed to Frodo.

"Yes," Said Frodo looking towards Linwe with loving eyes. "It seemed appropriate."

Everyone settled down to breakfast. The conversation quickly became about wedding plans. "Have you set a date yet?" Asked Rosie "I think you might want to wait until the autumn.  Between the two of you, you are related to pretty much everyone in the Shire, so most of the Shire will have to be invited.  We will need plenty of time to plan and prepare for so large an event."

"Actually we were thinking of an earlier date." Said Frodo.

"And a much smaller event.  I still get nervous in crowds." Said Linwe

"Oh Linwe dear, I know you do. But you were fine at our wedding, and besides, I don’t see how you can get around it. All of the Tooks and Brandybucks will have to be invited, and then there is everyone from the Longfather line. They must simply all be invited." Said Rosie

"And don’t forget" added Sam "Frodo is the acting Deputy Mayor of the Shire. I know that he is planning on retiring from that office soon, but folk from all over the Shire will want a chance to pay their respects to him on his wedding day. And you Miss Linwe, there are all those folk that you helped care for after the Battle of Bywater, they will all want to be there to wish you happiness."

"Oh, but would it really be so unforgivable if we did not make a big fuss? Neither of us wants it." Pleaded Linwe

"I truly don’t see how it can be avoided." Said Rosie "You saw how everyone reacted to Sam and I getting married. And that was just because he was one of the famous four travelers."

"And for the Cotton’s as well, Rosie dear." Reminded Sam "I don’t think we could have got the support that we did were it not for your father and brothers helping to rally folk."

"That is true, and it just makes my point that much Stronger." Asserted Rosie, "If nearly the entire population of the Shire wanted to attend our wedding, there is even more reason for them to want to attend yours. I really don’t see how the two of you think you can avoid it."

"Very simply," said Frodo, "Linwe and I will be married within the next seven days. Either Paladin or Saradoc can do the ceremony. Both have that authority and they can both be trusted to keep quiet until it is done. We are thinking Saradoc if he will agree to it. We both feel rather close to him. Besides if we bet married in Buckland then we will not have to go out of our way to get Merry and Pippin from Crickhollow."

"Oh, and Rosie, you have to stand with me." Added Linwe

"Sam, you will stand with me, I hope." Said Frodo

"Well of course we will stand with you." Said Rosie answering for herself and Sam. "But… Well really, even if you do this, there is still going to be a fuss. Folk will come calling, and inviting you to teas in your honor. You really can not get away from all of it. So many would feel hurt and insulted."

"Then we will take the callers as they come, and the teas as well. It is mostly the large party we wish to avoid." Replied Frodo.

"But a large party might actually be easier to deal with, everyone making a fuss at once." Argued Rosie.

"No Rosie, it would only add to it. I have seen enough of the goings on of a wedding to know." Said Frodo "Even if we had the big to do, there would still be folk inviting us to teas and betrothal parties, on top of the wedding its self. Hobbits will take any reason to celebrate and wring it for all it is worth. Linwe and I want a small wedding with only those we hold most dear in attendance. Any callers that come after can be dealt with, and any invitation that we do not wish to accept may be politely refused."

"But…" Rosie started to protest.

"Now Rosie," interrupted Sam, "They have already made up their minds, so let them be."

Linwe came around the table to give Rosie a hug. "Honestly, Rose Gamgee! I know it’s really you who wants to make the fuss for us. And I love you more for it. But you have said often yourself, Frodo and I are not like other Hobbits. We like to keep to ourselves more. That is especially the case on our wedding day. Don’t you see, this will be better?"

Rosie returned Linwe’s hug with a tight one of her own then sighed, "You know I could refuse you nothing you truly wanted. Less so even, I love you too much. You are right. You and Frodo should do this your way. It will be far more beautiful than anything else, anyway."

~~~~~~

Linwe, Frodo, Rosie and Sam, sat about the table discussing travel and wedding plans, through second breakfast and on into elevenses. By the time the dishes were cleared away, it was decided that the following morning the four of them would set out on pony back, to make the trip to Buckland. Once at Brandy Hall, they could discuss final plans for the ceremony with Saradoc and Esmeralda. The rest of the day was spent with Sam rounding up two additional ponies for the trip, so that old Bill and Strider would not have to carry two Hobbits each. Frodo let it be known to those concerned that he was going to Buckland on Mayoral business for at least a week and that Sam, Rosie, and Linwe would be going as well for social reasons. Rosie and Linwe spent the day packing their clothes for the trip. The gowns that had been made for Sam and Rosie'’ wedding were being pressed into service for Frodo and Linwe’s wedding.

Linwe went into Frodo’s room for the first time since the night they had spent together. Suddenly that night seemed to be ages ago. So much had happened in so very little time. She felt rather bashful being in there now, though she had been in there hundreds of times before, having long ago taken on the duty of tending Frodo’s clothing as well as being sure his room was kept tidy. But today, as Linwe made her way across the room to his wardrobes, it was with the awareness that in a few days time this would be her room as well when settled in as Frodo’s wife. It was with this warm and comforting thought that Linwe set about choosing clothes for Frodo to take on the trip, especially his attire that she though he might like to wear for their wedding. By the time everyone had retired to their own beds for the night (Frodo and Linwe choosing to continue in separate rooms until they were properly wedded) all had been ready for this happiest of journeys.

The following morning the hour of second breakfast found the four Hobbits well on their way. The weather was fair; the roads were just damp enough from recent rainfall to keep dust from being a bother. All in all it was the perfect day for traveling. They made good time arriving at The Floating Log Inn, in Frogmorton, just in time for them each to take a bath before dinner. Sam and Frodo spent the better part of the evening in the common room, sharing a drink or two as well as a bit of pipe weed. Linwe and Rosie spent the evening setting thing in order so that they might make a respectable appearance at Brandy Hall the following day.

Shortly after sunrise, they set out once again. This time, just before they were ready to stop for second breakfast, they came around a bend in the road and found an Elf standing there as though she were waiting for them.

"Merenwen!" Cried Linwe as she fairly flew off of her pony and into Merenwen’s arms. "Oh I hoped we would meet you on the way! I am sure I was calling you with every thought in my head!"

"So I have heard. Well met my fairest Linwe."

"Oh but where are my manners, I must introduce all of you." Turning towards the other three Hobbits who had now dismounted and come forward, Linwe started her introductions. "Merenwen, I would like you to meet my most protective of cousins Samwise Gamgee, his wife Rosie, who is dearer to me than any sister could be I am sure. This is Frodo Baggins, with whom I have but recently become betrothed." Said Linwe beaming with happiness. "Everyone, this is Merenwen Sirfalas, I have know her all of my life and she is quit like family to me."

"Well met all of you." Merenwen greeted the trio, of who only Frodo was not entirely surprised by her appearance.

Greetings were exchanged then Sam started to ask questions, "Excuse me but I am curious, how is it the two of you should know one another?" Indicating Merenwen and Linwe.

"I guess I have sort of forgotten to tell you and Rosie about Merenwen." Linwe said a bit sheepishly

"I suppose you did. I think I would have remembered if you had." Replied Sam.

"It is very simple really. Merenwen met my mother one day, in the woods, close to our home in Bree. Mummy had recently lost the baby she had been carrying. It was not her first loss. She and Papa had been married about eight years and not once in that time had she been able to carry a child to the end of her term. She was most heart broken as you can imagine. Merenwen heard my mother crying so she went to see what was the matter. Mother told Merenwen of her troubles, and Merenwen offered to use Elvish healing arts to help mother have a child. I am that child."

"Well I’ll be." Exclaimed Sam in wonder.

"I knew there was something different about you, Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche." Said Rosie with a laugh. "This explains quite a bit I think."

"Frodo, did you know of this?" Demanded Sam.

"Yes, I have known since not long after Linwe came to Hobbiton." Said Frodo casually.

"Tell me, Linwe, how is it in all of the months we have all lived under the same roof, you have never managed to get around to telling Rosie and I any of this?" Sam asked trying to look sever.

"I am sorry, I would have told you, had I thought of it. I am just used to not telling folk. It would create quit a fuss in the Shire if everyone knew, so my parents and I never said anything about it."

"And how then, Mr. Frodo, did you come to find out?" asked Sam, continuing his interrogation.

"Very simply, Mr. Gamgee, I asked her. In fact I am rather surprised that you never thought to ask her yourself. You of all people must have noticed that her name is in fact Elvish."

Sam began to blush. "I am rather ashamed to admit that it had never occurred to me."

Linwe laughed "Don’t worry Sam, you were not the only one. Merry and Pippin never seemed to take notice either. I suppose, Merenwen, you will be a surprise to them as well. You will meet them at the wedding, you will come, wont you? We are on our way to Brandy Hall now for the wedding. You simply have to be there!"

"I would not miss it for anything, but before we travel any further I must have a private word with you and Frodo."

"All right, Merenwen. Will you excuse us Rosie and Sam?"

"Of course." Said Rosie "Sam and I will have second breakfast waiting for you when you return."

Merenwen led Linwe and Frodo into the trees by the roadside. They did not have far to walk, before they were so surrounded by trees that they could no longer see the road. Here Merenwen turned to face Frodo and Linwe. "Linwe, I notice that your are wearing the jewel that once belonged to Arwen Evenstar, has Frodo told you the tale of how she came to give him that jewel?"

"Yes, She gave it to him with the invitation to take her place on the ship crossing to the West, in the event that Frodo felt he could no longer continue on here. If Frodo feels he must go then I will go with him."

Merenwen smiled though somewhat sadly. "That is brave of you. I know it would be hard for you to leave so many that you have come to know and love. But now I must ask you to be braver still, both of you in fact." Here Merenwen paused. "Linwe, I suspected after we visited together in March, that it was only a matter of time before you and Frodo should choose to be married. It is only natural for two so closely tied in spirit. I spoke with Esmeralda, not long after Sam and Rosie’s wedding she confirmed my suspicions. I then sent a message to Lord Elrond, to inform him of this development. He is most concerned for both of you. I have only recently had a response from him. In his letter there is a matter that he has bid me to tell you of if you were to choose to be married."

Frodo and Linwe could both tell by Merenwen’s demeanor, that they were about to hear something they would not like. Frodo slipped a protective arm around Linwe. Merenwen continued. "Lord Elrond bids me to tell you, that in the event the two of you are wedded, and Frodo still finds that he needs to go with the Elves, then he must do so alone. Linwe must stay here in Middle Earth."

"No!" Cried Frodo "That can’t be!" Linwe could say nothing, her mind was busy working to absorb and make sense of what she had just been told.

"I am afraid that is as it must be." Said Merenwen

"But why?" Demanded Frodo.

"That I can not tell you. However, Lord Elrond also wishes you to know, that your greatest hope in finding lasting peace, here in Middle Earth, is through the love you two now share. This could very well be a far greater peace than you could even find in the undying lands." Merenwen paused allowing the two before her a moment to come to some acceptance of what they had just been told. "Frodo and Linwe, I am sorry but you must decide now if you will take the chance and still be wedded or no."

"We will be married!" Declared Linwe, showing all of the strength and determination, that Merenwen was so familiar with. "Even if it were to mean only being together for a day, I want that day."

Frodo shook his head, "No Linwe, I think it would be better if we didn’t. You can go back to Bag End with Sam and Rosie, I will go to Rivendell. I think it might be better if we parted now, rather than later."

"So you choose to break my heart?" Linwe demanded as she was starting to feel angry.

"Please Linwe, I am trying to save you of some pain. Surely the more time we spend together now, will make it hurt that much more if I should have to leave later."

"Oh Frodo, be reasonable. This maybe your chance at never having to leave Middle Earth at all. Wouldn’t you rather stay here?"

"Well yes, but…"

"Remember Frodo, you can only truly hurt me if you don’t let me love you freely. Don’t you see? If you leave me now, then both of us will spend the rest of our lives wondering what might have been. Stay with me now, and if you still feel you must go with the Elves later, then at least we will have had this time."

Frodo frown gradually slipped away. He sighed then smiled, "Why is it I get the distinct impression that I will never win an argument with you?"

Chapter Twenty-three

Word can travel quickly in the Shire. Frodo, Linwe, Sam and Rosie had just reached the Brandywine river when word made it to Brandy Hall announcing their imminent arrival. Merenwen had only been able to travel with the foursome a short distance before they found themselves in more populated areas where an Elf would likely stand out. With promises of meeting them later at Brandy Hall, Merenwen took her leave to make the rest of the journey in her own unobserved way.

When Frodo, Sam, Linwe, and Rosie arrived they found Esmeralda and Saradoc waiting outside for them. "Well this is a pleasant surprise," said Esmeralda as the four rode up, "And what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Linwe sprang from her saddle and ran into Esmeralda’s arms, "Can’t cousins come for a visit just because they feel like it?"

"Yes they can, and are most welcome too, however I see you have brought with you the entire household of Bag End. I am guessing that anything that would get Sam away from those gardens for more than a day would have to be rather important."

"Now , Esme, the daughter of our hearts finally returns home for a visit and you start subjecting her to all of these suspicions. Your going to drive the lass away again," chided Saradoc.

"That’s all right," said Linwe as she turned to Saradoc to hug him, "she knows us all too well to think otherwise."

"So you do have a reason for coming." Saradoc carefully scrutinized her face, "yes you do seem to have a certain glow about you. I think I can make a pretty close guess myself as to what is a foot. In fact on second look I would have to say that all four of you are looking like your keeping something secret."

"I think you are right, Sara. I think we should show our guests inside, give them some refreshment then maybe they will tell us what it is that as brought them here."

An hour later, hugs and handshakes had been exchanged, rooms had been assigned, dusty traveling clothes had been traded for fresh attire, and Esmeralda had everyone settled in the private parlor of the Master of Buckland. "It looks like everyone here has all that they require for the moment. Perhaps one or two of you would care to tell Saradoc and I what brings you to Buckland with no more forewarning than some rumors. Frodo, Linwe, would either of you have something to say?"

Frodo and Linwe both blushed then looked at each other, "Why don’t you tell them, Frodo."

"Why should I tell them, you were the last one to live here and you are the one with the title of ‘daughter of their hearts’."

"All the more reason for you to tell them, You should probably ask permission, if you get my meaning."

Frodo just looked at her steadily for a moment with one eye brow slightly raised. "Linwe, the time for you to have held to such customs was about five days ago." Linwe blushed, Rosie tried to surpress a laugh, Sam closed his eye and shook his head from side to side muttering something about ‘this is hopeless’, Esmeralda had already guessed what had brought Frodo and Linwe to Buckland but began to be curious about how certain things came about. "Oh really you two." Esmeralda exclaimed in exasperation.

"I’ll handle this, Esme," asserted Saradoc. "I, speaking on behalf of Linwe’s much loved father and mother whom are no longer with us, would like to ask you, Frodo Baggins, what are your intentions towards Linwe?"

Frodo stood up next to Linwe’s chair, took her hand in both of his, then standing up straight with his head held high, he said, "With all due respect, Sir, I plan to marry Linwe, and I ask your permission and blessing."

"Permission and blessing granted and happily given, congratulations." Said Saradoc with a big happy grin." More hugs were exchanged, Esmeralda got weepy even though this was just what she had expected to hear. In a few minutes everyone was settled down again with their tea and cakes.

"So when is the wedding to be? I think it would be best if it was hear, after all Linwe is still considered a part of the Master’s household. An early autumn wedding would be nice, the leaves on the trees will be in full fall color, we can decorate with the leaves and dried flowers."

Linwe held up a hand to get Esmeralda’s attention, "We have set a date and we are wishing to have the wedding here, however the wedding will be a little earlier than the autumn."

"How much earlier were you thinking? Since this event will be hosted by the Master of Buckland there will be many from Buckland and the Shire that will need to be invited, add to that Frodo being the deputy mayor, add too that family from both sides, Tooks, Brandybucks, The Longfathers, and Bagginses, add to that pretty much everyone else because as we saw with Sam and Rosie’s wedding all of the Shire will be interested in the wedding of yet another of the Four Travelers, so they might as well be invited as many will come whether they have been invited or not. My point is, that we will need time to prepare, and even having the wedding in the fall will be cutting it a bit close."

"There is not need to worry over having time to prepare," said Linwe, "as we have decided to get married, the day after tomorrow, in a small private ceremony. We should probably arrange for announcements to be sent out afterwards, but I would prefer that those are not even written until after the wedding. We really do not want anyone finding out until this is over. Neither Frodo nor I are overly fond of large crowds, on our wedding day we would prefer that only those that are dearest to us be in attendance."

Esmeralda sighed, "I can’t say that I am surprised and I know better than to argue with either of you. I’ve known you both since you were children and I am well aquainted with how obstinate each of you can be. A small wedding it is, my dears."

~~~~~

The rumor of the new arrivals to Brandy Hall quickly reached Crickhollow. Merry and Pippin came barging into the sitting room unannounced. "Why the rumors, are true, Pip," declared Merry, "Our friends have come for a visit and they did not send word to us."

"Perhaps they are not our friends anymore. Perhaps they no longer care for our company," suggested Pippin.

"I think you might be right. Do you think we should just leave, since we are obviously unwanted?"

"That might be best. Should we ask for an explanation for this cold treatment first?"

"No, Pip, I think that would just be humiliating for us. If they no longer care for us then I would not want them to think that we care enough for them to notice their ill treatment of us."

"That’s so true, well then I guess we had best be on our way."

"Oh, you boys just stop that," said Esmeralda with some show of exasperation, "Frodo, Linwe, Sam, and Rosie, came with no prior notice given to anyone. We were just as surprised to see them as you are."

"Now you have my curiosity piqued," said Merry, "I know that Sam would not visit anywhere without giving at least two weeks notice of his expected arrival. Frodo on the other hand is well known for taking off when ever he gets a fancy to travel. However what with having Rosie and Linwe along there was at least some planning done. The four of you are hear for a reason, something that you feel needs taken care of soon and involving my parents. It is something important."

"Frodo and Linwe are getting married." Cried Pippin.

Merry first looked at Pippin in surprise over his outburst then looked to Frodo and Linwe. One look at them and Merry knew Pippin was right. "What do you know. Frodo finally figured things out. However one mystery still remains, why the sudden visit here? Announcing your betrothal doesn’t really warrant a surprise visit from all four of you."

"You’re right, it doesn’t," agreed Frodo, "However getting married the day after tomorrow with the Master of Buckland officiating does make an unannounced visit necessary, wouldn’t you say?"

Merry and Pippin looked at one another, "He has a point there, Merry."

"Yes, Pip, I suppose he does." Merry turned back to Frodo and Linwe, "Well don’t just sit there. Get up so that we can give you all of the congratulatory handshakes, kisses, and hugs."

~~~~~

That evening the main topic of discussion at dinner was the coming wedding. "Who will be standing up with you as family?" asked Pippin. Everyone at the table went silent. Frodo and Linwe looked at one another; Linwe’s eyes started to tear up. "We forgot that part," Linwe said quietly.

"Not to worry!" Exclaimed Merry, seeing Linwe’s distress. "I will stand with Linwe and Pippin here will stand with Frodo."

"Why should you be the one to stand with Linwe?" Demanded Pippin.

"Because I am older. I have known Linwe longer. I am also closer in relation to her."

"You have known Frodo even longer and you are even of closer relation to him than you are to Linwe. I think it is only proper that you stand with Frodo."

"Neither one of you will stand with Linwe, because I am." Declared Sam "Our fathers come from the same line so I should stand with Linwe."

"Sam dear, you are standing with Frodo as his friend, you can’t very well speak for Linwe as family too." Rosie reminded him.

Sam’s face took on a look of consternation. "But… She… I mean…"

"I am sorry Sam, but Rosie is right," said Merry, "You stay with Frodo. Since I am older than young master Peregrin here, who has not even come of age as of yet, I am entitled to decide what roll each of us will take. I say that I will stand with Linwe."

"I say," argued Pippin, "as the older of the two of us, it is only proper that you stand with the older of the betrothed couple. Therefore you must stand with Frodo."

Esmeralda spoke up at this point. "Actually Pippin, that is not necessarily true. Your reasoning that since Merry is the oldest he should stand with the oldest, is sound enough. But you are assuming that Frodo is the oldest. Frodo and Linwe were born on the same day, within the same hour. No one really knows which of the two is older."

Everyone at the table turned astonished looks at Linwe and Frodo. "Is this true?" Demanded Pippin.

"Yes it is." Said Linwe blushing a bit. "There is even the possibility that we were born at the same moment."

Everyone started talking at once expressing their astonishment or asserting their right to stand with Linwe. "Enough!" Roared Saradoc. Silence fell and Saradoc continued. "Esmeralda, you will speak for Frodo I will speak for Linwe. It is settled."

"That will never do." Argued Esmeralda you are conducting the ceremony. Besides I feel that Merry and Pippin should be a part of the ceremony since they went through so much with Frodo and they both are rather close to Linwe as well. We will toss a coin. Saradoc do you have one?"

Saradoc pulled a coin out of his pocket. "Heads stands with Frodo. Pippin, will it be heads or tails?" Asked Saradoc.

"Tails"

Saradoc tossed the coin in the air, when it came down it landed on the table. Everyone leaned forward to get a close look. "Tails! I win!" Cried Pippin. He stood up then dashed around the table. He pulled Linwe to her feet and waltzed her about the room.

"I really do not understand what all the fuss is about." Laughed Linwe as Pippin whirled her about again.

"I am not surprised." Said Rosie "I have been telling you all along that you have a very strange effect on those around you. You are an unusual Hobbit. Perhaps it has something to do with your having been raised by an Elf."

Pippin stopped mid whirl. "Did you say Linwe was raised by an Elf?"

"Yes, Merenwen is her name." Answered Rosie

"What? How can that be? How come I didn’t know?" Demanded Merry.

Frodo laughed. "I am surprised you and Pippin had not figured it out before."

"How could we?"

"Merry, what is Linwe’s full name?"

"Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche."

"Now tell me, is that a Hobbit name?"

Merry thought for a moment then blushed, "I can’t believe I never thought of that. It’s Elvish. Would anyone care to tell us the whole story?"

"My mother met an elf before she had me. Her name is Merenwen Sirfalas. Merenwen made it possible for me to be born, to thank Merenwen for what she had done, Mother and Father decided to give me an Elvish name. Merenwen stayed friends with my parents after I was born and came to see us often. She is coming for the wedding so you will meet her soon."

Chapter Twenty-four

Linwe woke up to bright June sunshine streaming in through her bedroom window. She smiled and took a moment to lie in bed, counting her blessings. This time tomorrow she would be dressing for her wedding. She could tell when Frodo kissed her the night before, that he was still unsure about going ahead with the wedding, after Merenwen’s announcement that Linwe would not be allowed to go to the West with him. But Linwe knew it was far too late for even Frodo to turn back now, so she did her best to reassure him.

Merenwen had arrived late the evening before, as she had promised. Linwe was looking forward to slipping off to Merenwen’s rooms to spend as much of the day with her as possible. Suddenly unable to wait another minute of what she believed would be an especially nice day, Linwe got up, hurried to get dressed, the left for breakfast.

Linwe found the dining room nearly empty. Other’s had obviously been there, had their meal and left, only Esmeralda and Rosie remained. "Good morning, Linwe," greeted Esmeralda, "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you. Where has everyone else got off too?"

"Saradoc and the lads have all left to check on the little cottage Saradoc spoke of as being a possible place for you and Frodo to spend your honeymoon. They are also planning on finding a location for the ceremony. I would imagine they will take most of the morning doing all of that . If the cottage is in adequate condition I will be sending a couple of girls who know how to be discreet to clean it up and make sure you have all that you need to be comfortable."

"Oh, well that is good." Said Linwe with a blush. "I suppose there is quit a bit to be done today, isn’t there."

"Yes Rosie and I were just discussing that. I know the two of you are anxious to get started to seeing that your gowns for tomorrow are made ready, but before you get started there is something I must show you."

Linwe’s curiosity was piqued. "What is it?"

"Be patient child, you will see soon enough," Chided Esmeralda, "All I will say is thank goodness you decided to have Saradoc marry you rather than run off to mayor Whitfoot right away. You would have been very sorry to have missed out on what I have for you."

As soon as Linwe was done with her breakfast Esmeralda led Linwe and Rosie to the rooms that Lila and Marmadas had used when in the Hall. The rooms adjoined Linwe’s room but she did not go into them. They brought back too many sad memories for her. When Linwe walked in she discovered that the rooms had been kept in such a way that she could believe that her Mother would come walking in from the bed room at any moment.

"I have kept the rooms aired and cleaned since their passing." Said Esmeralda correctly guessing the source of the surprised look on Linwe’s face. "I’ve never been sure when you might want to come in here. And I wanted to do what I could to make this a comforting place for you to visit and remember them."

Linwe was overcome, she felt tears fill her eyes and a lump form in her throat. Speech was not possible so she gave Esmeralda a hug.

"You are very welcome dear." Replied Esmeralda to Linwe’s unspoken words of thanks, "However this is not the only reason I have brought you in here." Esmeralda released her hold on Linwe, "Your mother left something for you, that I was supposed to give you in the event you should be getting married." Esmeralda led Linwe and Rosie to a table by the window. On the table there was a box, tied with a silver ribbon, that Linwe recognized to be the sort that one would store a dress in. "This is for you Linwe, from your mother." Said Esmeralda pushing the box towards Linwe.

Linwe untied the ribbon with a trembling hand, and pulled it away. She hesitantly lifted the lid off of the box revealing layers of muslin and a multitude of dried lavender. The fragrance of the lavender filled the air as Linwe started to turn back the layers of Muslin. As she turned back the last layer of protective fabric the light from the window fell on field of fabric that was bright white with a bluish hue. The fabric caught the light then reflected it back like sun on new snow. Linwe lifted the garment out, revealing a gown, cut in an Elven style, with silver and white embroidery, and a silver sash that would rest gently on the hips of the one wearing it. Rosie gasped at the sight of the gown. Esmeralda smiled. Tears that had threatened earlier now spilled freely down Linwe’s cheeks. "Oh Mummy!" she whispered.

"Your mother said that she had asked Merenwen bring fabric from Rivendell, just before your coming of age. Lila was sure that you would be betrothed soon after. She wanted to have something special on hand to make your wedding gown with. When Lila became ill she knew she would not live long and was still sure that you would marry. She didn’t want anyone else to make your wedding gown, so she went ahead and made it, hoping that one day you would get to wear it."

Linwe was overcome. She clutched the gown to her chest and started to sob, then found herself being held tightly between Rosie and Esmeralda.

~~~~~

"I think you have all of the furniture you could need here," said Saradoc looking around the old cottage. He, Frodo and Sam were inspecting the interior while Merry and Pippin looked over the surroundings outside. "It has only been empty a couple of years. I’ve had the place looked after ever since. I had thought some young couple just starting out would be happy to have such a nice place to themselves. But it is secluded, and things being as they have been the last two years no one felt brave enough to live so far from a helping hand. During the occupation we stored some food here. The ruffians never found the place. Esme plans to have a couple of lasses come here later today to dust things out and stock it with food, cookware and linens. I have a lad I can send to tidy up the garden." As Frodo, Sam, and Saradoc made their inspection Frodo felt a sense of sadness and grief come over him. He said nothing about it but was relieved when it was decided to return to Brandy Hall. Once there Frodo immediately went in search of Linwe. His feet seeming to steer him to the rooms that he now knew had belonged to Linwe’s parents. He found the door but the room beyond was empty. "Linwe?" he called out.

"I am in here." Came her faint reply from the adjoining bedroom.

Frodo went to the bedroom. He found Linwe sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed, next to a wooden chest. The chest was open filling the room with the fragrance of cedar and lavender. A variety of items spilled out of the chest others were strung out on the floor. In the middle of it all was a rather forlorn Linwe with a tear stained face, gazing at a dress obviously made for a small Hobbit girl.

"I can’t believe she saved this." Sniffed Linwe. "Mummy made this dress for me, when I was seven. It was for the harvest festival. Just before the festival, Merenwen came to visit. For some reason I took notice of her gown and decided that I only wanted to wear clothes like hers. Mummy wanted me to put this dress on to check the fit and I refused. Mummy got angry, I got angry too. I stamped my little foot. I declared I would never wear the dress. Poor Mummy, I was such a terrible child that day. She had worked so hard on this dress. In the end we came to an agreement. I would wear the dress to the festival as planned and she would start to make all of my dresses in more the style of Merenwen’s. I was then sent to bed without dinner that night for being so disrespectful." Linwe sighed, "Mummy and Papa would have done just about anything for me." A sob escaped Linwe. "I miss them so much!"

Frodo sat down on the floor just behind Linwe then gently pulled her into his arms. Linwe turned and buried her face in his waistcoat and cried. As Frodo held her, it occurred to him that Linwe had never said much about missing her parents, since that day the previous autumn, when he found her singing in the woods. To Frodo it seemed Linwe was always so busy looking out for him as well as almost everyone else around her. It had made it all too easy for him to forget that Linwe had lost her parents only a little over a year ago.

Frodo held her tightly, feeling within himself the grief and sadness that welled up and spilled over inside of her.

~~~~~

Frodo sat alone as the sun started its steady decline in to the west. His thoughts drifted lazily over the events of the last couple of days. The bickering over who would get the privilege to stand with Linwe had taken what could have been a heart breaking moment and turned it into what he felt sure would always be one of the happier memories. The last several days had been full, but to Frodo, they had been mostly full in a good way. It still seemed hard to believe that in less than a day he would be married, Frodo was nervous but very happy as well.

The plans had all been made. Linwe was with Rosie at that very moment tending to those little matters that ladies must take care of prior to a wedding. Frodo had started to feel a bit overwhelmed with the larger community living in Brandy Hall, then there was Merry and Pippin, being around the two of them could feel like being in a crowd. With all of the people and the quick progression of events in the last several days, Frodo had felt the need to get out by him self for a while.

Frodo sat with his eyes closed listening to the sounds of the forest, the faintest whisper of the movement of leaves alerted him of the arrival of Merenwen just before she spoke. "Good evening, Frodo."

"Good evening, Merenwen." Frodo said rising to greet her.

"It is a lovely evening, would you care to walk with me for a bit?" Merenwen asked with a warm smile.

"I would be happy to." Frodo returned her smile.

The two set off walking in an indirect towards Brandy Hall. Crickets were starting to sing their greeting to the evening here in the early dusk of the forest. All around them Frodo and Merenwen could hear the sounds of assorted creatures settling for the night, as others that preferred twilight began to stir as they prepared to go into the coming night.

"How are the plans for the wedding coming along?" Asked Merenwen as she stepped over a small fallen branch.

"As near as I can tell, all is in order. The wedding will be tomorrow as we had hoped." Said Frodo as he absently plucked a leaf form a near by bush then started shredding it to bits.

"Are you ready?"

"I think so. I am rather nervous, and this is all very sudden. I had a sound lecture from Sam on how dense I have been these last several months." Said Frodo with chagrin.

"You have been through quit a bit in the last year and a half or more. I don’t think it is all that surprising that you may have been distracted from your true feelings. Linwe loves you. She knew you needed time."

"But what if I had never seen? What if I had never been able to allow myself to love her?"

Merenwen glanced down to see that Frodo’s normally bright blue eyes now had a troubled gray tinge to them. "Linwe would have shown you her love, in any way you would have allowed. She would have stayed by your side, giving to you in much the same way as she has these past months. She would have cared for you as she could, but without pushing more on you than you were willing to accept."

Frodo thought about this for a moment then asked almost seemingly to him self. "But am I truly doing what is right? Tomorrow I am supposed to swear to cherish and care for her, but under the circumstances I wonder if that is a promise I can truly keep."

"Because you may have to leave with the Elves?"

"Yes. How can I fulfill my vows to her if I may later have to leave her behind?"

"Will leaving for the West keep you from loving her and cherishing her? Do you need to have her physical presence to have these feelings in your heart?"

"Well no, of course not. I could go anywhere and still love her above all else."

"Then half of your vows will remain intact, even though you may have to choose to leave one day."

Frodo looked up at Merenwen his brow furrowed as he struggled with the conflict he felt inside. "But how shall I take care of her if I am not with her?"

Merenwen stopped and looked down into Frodo’s eyes. "Is it so hard to see that even leaving her would be an act of love and caring? I do not know what will come to pass, dear Frodo. You may find the healing that allows you to stay in Middle Earth. I believe that is only possible by allowing your self to love Linwe freely and letting her return that love. But if in time, you should find that to stay in Middle Earth is unbearable, it will be unbearable to Linwe to see you suffer by staying. In that instance your leaving will be the most caring thing you can do for her. Linwe is bound to your spirit as you are to hers. Time and distance can not change that. Linwe understands what is at stake and she has made her choice. There is but one way that you could truly hurt Linwe, that is to turn away from her and leave her now."

"I wish I could believe that." Said Frodo quietly.

"Do you believe that Linwe saw and experienced much of what you did, while on the quest for the ring?"

"Yes, I have even seen one of the scars she bears from that. We have only talked about it once but I believe her." Frodo’s heart ached at the memory of that discovery.

"Now tell me, Frodo, how would you feel if you decided to turn and leave her this very night?"

Frodo struggled with the question for a moment, unsure of where this was all leading. "It would feel as though I had been stabbed in the stomach. My heart would feel as though it were being ripped out."

Merenwen knelt down so that she could better see his eyes in the growing darkness. "That is what Linwe would feel, as well as her own heart break. Your pain would increase her pain ten fold at the very least. Frodo, I know you only wish to save her from a broken heart, but this is not the way. Linwe needs you."

"I don’t see how. She does so much more for me, she gives so much. I feel it is I who needs her more than she needs me."

"But she does need you. Linwe has spent her entire life sharing much of your life, not only the quest for the ring; this bond goes back to the very beginning, of your lives. I believe she has even spent her entire life loving you, though she knew not who you were.

"Linwe needs this time for however long it is, to help her heal form the experiences she shared with you. Much of that healing will come from simply loving and caring for you."

Frodo closed his eyes and took a breath. "I want so desperately to believe this. I want to be with her."

"Then believe it. Believe that one way or another all will be well in the end. Believe that there will never come a time when you regret staying with her now."

Authors note- my thanks to Pearl Took for allowing me to borrow the wedding ceremony from "Peregrin and Diamond" I lovely heart warming story that I highly recommend. In my interpretation of the ceremony the Hobbit officiating speaks on behalf of the Hobbit community as a whole, including those living in Buckland, Bree, as well as the Shire. I realize that this does not precisely match the social and political structure of the Shire, as described by Tolkien. I take these liberties with consideration and respect for what is cannon.

Chapter Twenty-five

"I would say that covers everything on our list," said Esmeralda looking down at a piece of paper on the table before her. Rosie and Esmeralda sat together going over the arrangements for Frodo and Linwe’s wedding. "I have helped to plan quit a few weddings in my time, but never one on such short notice."

"All things considered, I think it is best that this one is coming about so quickly. I don’t think it is safe to leave Frodo and Linwe to wait much longer than this. Things can change so swiftly with those two, when they set their minds to it."

"So I have noticed. Rosie, what happened? Las time I saw Frodo and Linwe was at your wedding which was not quite two months ago. Frodo did nothing but stare at her all day and evening. Merry and Pippin visited just a little over two weeks ago. They came home reporting that things with Frodo and Linwe were still the same as they ever were. What happened to change things so quickly? I tried talking to both of them about it and neither of them will say all that much. Both of them blushed bright red and muttered something about having just had a good long talk."

Rosie chuckled and blushed a bit herself, "I am sure talking played a part in it. At least that is what Linwe told me. I suppose the started off talking, but at some point things went beyond that."

"Rosie, you are trying my patience, now speak plainly. What happened?"

"It was seven days ago, or maybe it was only six, depending what time of the night all of this came about. Linwe said she woke up to use the privy, while she was up she noticed light coming from beneath Frodo’s bedroom door. She said she went to his room to see if there was anything she could do for him. He did not answer her knock so she let herself into the room. She said he was asleep in a chair by the fire so she woke him up to send him off to bed. This is where she gets quit vague in what she told me. All she would tell me was that they ended up talking. However it did not stop with talking. The following morning, Sam went to Frodo’s room to wake him up. When Sam walked in he found Frodo and Linwe sound asleep in one another’s arms. Judging by what little Sam could see they were also apparently not wearing a stitch of clothing."

"Oh my! Oh dear!" Said Esmeralda in amazement. "I must say that I did not expect that."

"Neither did Sam." Said Rosie smiling mischievously.

"Poor Sam, that must have been a terrible shock."

"Indeed it was, I don’t think I have ever seen him so angry, and what was even more amazing was that he was actually angry with Frodo. I did not even think that was possible."

"I take it Sam held Frodo responsible for what happened?"

"Oh yes!" Exclaimed Rosie. "Sam would have been exceedingly disappointed to find Frodo in that situation with anyone at all. But to find Frodo in that situation with Linwe was too much. Sam loved Linwe first because she is a relation that it is clear he and Frodo both share. He has since come to love her for herself as well, but the family ties have given Linwe a special place in Sam’s heart. Then there is the fact that Sam has this notion that in such matters it is a lad’s responsibility to see that matters do not go beyond a certain point with a lass. You put all of that together and you can see that in Sam’s mind Frodo committed a transgression that could only have been worse if it were Sam’s sister instead of Linwe.

"I can understand Sam’s point of view. You however don’t appear to be disturbed by this."

"No, I’m not. Not entirely anyway. I have had plenty of time to get to know Linwe. For all of her shy quiet ways, she can be assertive when she feels the need. I think Linwe was just as responsible for what ever happened if not more so. I think Linwe saw an opportunity to make Frodo understand a thing or two and she took it. Since the two of them have finally reached a point of showing some sense then I am glad what ever happen did happen."

Esmeralda laughed "I am afraid that I have to agree with you. Like Linwe, Frodo’s gentle exterior hides the core of a very determined lad. If Frodo was set on not acknowledging his feelings even to himself then it would have taken bold action on Linwe’s part to make him see things differently."

~~~~~

Linwe sat nibbling on a scone as Merenwen fixed her hair. Linwe had decided to wear a crown of ivy and flowers as she had for Rosie’s wedding, but this time she would have ivy entwined with her hair instead of ribbons and white flowers to match her gown. A small yawn escaped her, she had barely been able to sleep the night before, in fact she had not slept much at all that week. "I can hardly believe it." She mused. " I can hardly believe that I am actually getting married."

Merenwen smiled as she wound a lock of hair around a strand of ivy. "Your parents would hardly believe it either. You caused them considerable worry with your lack of interest in suitors."

"I know I was a dreadful child. I wish they were here now, I think they would agree that Frodo is well worth the wait."

"I believe you are right. Frodo is a fine Gentle Hobbit. I don’t think Lila and Marmadas could have asked for a better match for you."

Linwe said nothing in response to this. The mention of her parents brought on a wave of sadness and loneliness. She thought that if her mother were here with her, she would allow Lila to put her hair up in all of the dreadful hairpins and things. She wished her father were there to escort her to the wedding and give his and her mother’s blessing on the union. These lonely thoughts lead to her remembering that a time may soon come when Frodo may have to leave her as well. "Do you think Frodo will be able to stay here, rather than go to the Grey Havens?"

"Lord Elrond feels that it is possible, it is what he hopes for. Going into the West would take Frodo away from Middle Earth so that he would not be so deeply haunted by the poisons that still linger within him and that add to the torment of his memories of the ring. However to go with the Elves would mean leaving almost all that he knows behind. If the two of you had not met then fallen in love, he would still have to give up the companionship of Sam, Merry and Pippin as well as the familiar comfort of his home and the Shire."

"Why am I not allowed to go with Frodo?" Linwe asked quietly.

"I believe, that at this time, you are being denied this passage, for the very same reasons Lord Elrond hopes that Frodo will find the peace in his heart to stay."

Linwe thought about this for a moment then said. "Do you know what I think? I think there is something you are not telling me, about all of this."

"You always were too clever of a child. There may very well be far more than what I have told you, but I assure you that I have told you all that you need to know at this time."

"So there is more that you will tell me, later?"

"If there is a need for you to know," said Merenwen with a hint of a smile.

~~~~~

Frodo sat patiently as Sam painstakingly trimmed his hair. Personally, Frodo felt that he looked fine, but he knew it was better to let Sam make the fuss. As Sam clipped minuscule bits from Frodo’s locks he let his thoughts wander. Thanks to his talk with Merenwen, the evening before, he was feeling more confident about going ahead with marrying Linwe, but there was one last little thing still bothering him. "You know Sam, I have not hardly the faintest idea of how to be a good husband."

"You shouldn’t worry, Mr. Frodo, you will be just fine."

"I wish I had your confidence. This is all happening so fast. I think I have just muddled everything from the first moment I saw her."

"I would not say that you have muddled everything, just some of it," said Sam with a smile. "Your just nervous. All grooms are nervous on their wedding day."

"Surely you were not nervous the day you married Rosie. I could not imagine you being in the least bit nervous a single day of your life." Frodo teased.

"Now, I am just trying to be of help here. There is no call for you sassing me," said Sam indignantly.

"I know, and I appreciate it. You are right, I am sure a lot of this is just wedding day nerves, but there is more to it than that. It is the same problem that I had with the matter of courting. I’ve never given any of this serious consideration. If the thought occurred to me I quickly brushed the thought aside to consider later. "

"It seems to me, Frodo, you have had quit a lot getting in the way of your learning about these things in life that the rest of us sort of take for granted. First there was losing your parents, the two people who should have been giving you your first lessons in such matters. Then you moved in with Mr. Bilbo. You know I love him dearly, but a bachelor is not exactly the best sort to be teaching a young lad about courtship and such. Then there was the ring. Mr. Bilbo never aged the entire time he had it. It was given to you at just about the time you should have been starting to think of settling. You did not age in looks the entire time you carried it, maybe in mind you didn’t age either. Maybe you have spent the last near twenty years, with the heart of a lad just coming to the end of his tweens. What ever the reason for it, I don’t think you really need worry so much. Yes, this has all come about in a rather backwards way, but the important thing is that you love Linwe, she loves you, and together you will figure it all out."

"You make it all sound so very simple."

"It is simple, I am willing to bet that you will find loving Linwe to be far easier than all of this time you have spent trying to tell yourself that you don’t love her like you do."

~~~~~

Linwe sat alone in Merenwen’s room. Merenwen and Rosie had slipped out a little while before, to go to the wedding. Linwe was waiting for Sam to arrive to escort her to the wedding; they were to be the last to arrive. Linwe’s thoughts were restless. She was nervous about the wedding, nervous about being married. She missed her mother and father and couldn’t help but think how pleased they would be with Frodo. A quiet knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Linwe stood up and walked across the room to open the door, there on the other side stood Sam. Linwe smiled, "Good morning, Sam."

Sam just stood there for a moment looking at Linwe, his eyes wide. "How I could have a cousin as beautiful as you, is a mystery to me."

"Oh Sam!" Linwe blushed.

"And Frodo is right, you do have a very pretty blush."

"Now you are just teasing me." Said Linwe indignantly.

"I am only speaking the truth. Now if you are ready, I think the only Hobbit in all the world worthy enough, is waiting to marry you, shall we go?" Sam held his arm out for Linwe. And the two headed down the deserted passage, then out the door into the bright June day. Close to the seldom-used entranceway, stood a dappled gray pony. Its coat shining in the sun from a thorough grooming and it’s main plaited and tied with white and silver ribbons to match Linwe’s gown. Sam assisted Linwe onto the sidesaddle, when he was sure that she was well settled he took the pony’s lead rope and they set off.

~~~~~

It was a happy expectant group that waited in a small clearing, for the arrival of Sam and Linwe. The clearing was one that had previously been known only to Merry and Pippin. There were no obvious paths that lead to it, so everyone felt fairly certain that no wondering Hobbits would happen to stumble across the wedding party. Merenwen prepared her gift for Linwe and Frodo, while everyone waited for Linwe to arrive. Earlier that morning Merry and Pippin had gathered fallen branches from around the forest, then using vines to tie them together had erected a somewhat crude four sided trellis with a sort of roof. Merenwen had collected cuttings of a variety of climbing flowers then planted these at the base of the trellis next to the supporting branches. Whispering in Elvish she encouraged the flowers to grow and climb until they soon had a flower covered pavilion with open sides. Merenwen decided to add one final touch to her work, she sang out in syllables that sounded like the ringing of wind chimes, soon a rainbow of butterflies came flitting from all directions coming to rest on the pavilion a touch of ever moving color.

Soon after a rustling could be heard in the trees, everyone turned towards the sound. Not far off under the canopy of trees was Sam, walking with his head held high and his face glowing with joyful pride as he lead the silvery dappled pony that bore Linwe. No one spoke as the watched the arrival of Sam and Linwe. All that could be heard was the sound of the ponies steps at moved steadily towards them, the singing of birds in the trees, and the slight rustling of leaves in a gentle breeze.

Frodo stood transfixed as he watched the arrival of his bride. Linwe sat perched on top of her mount, side saddle, her gown seeming to flow in graceful waves across the pony’s side, a silvery sash rested lightly on her hips then was knotted loosely in front of her allowing the ends to trail down among the folds of her gown. When Sam led the pony from beneath the trees, into the clearing sunlight fell on Linwe setting her gown off in a blaze of blue white light. To Frodo she looked like a vision from the spirit come to fill his heart with peace. In that moment any doubts that he still may have had evaporated in her radiant light. He knew his place was with her.

Sam tied the pony’s lead to a sapling then walked back to the pony’s side to lift Linwe down to the ground. Sam gave Linwe his arm and they made their way across the clearing to the small group waiting by the pavilion. They met Esmeralda and Merenwen first, Hobbitess and Elven Lady each embraced Linwe then kissed her on the cheek all the while and smiling through happy tears. They then parted making way for Sam and Linwe to pass. Merry and Pippin stepped forward looking dashing in the trappings of their knighthood. Merry bowed then smiling said "You’re a vision of loveliness little cousin," he then kissed her on the cheek as well. Merry stepped back to let Pippin come forward. He bowed to then said, "Excuse me Samwise, but I think this is where I take over."

"I suppose so," said Sam a bit reluctantly. Before giving up Linwe’s hand he turned to her and smiled "I could not love you more if you were my own sister," he said then took his turn to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you too, Sam." Said Linwe before he pulled away to place her hand on Pippin’s arm.

Pippin smiled down at Linwe, "Are you ready, little cousin?"

"I am."

"Your groom awaits." Pippin and Linwe turned to where Rosie, Saradoc, Sam, Merry, and Frodo stood.

Since arriving in the clearing Linwe had kept her eyes from Frodo’s though she could feel his gaze on her all along. Now as she allowed herself to look up. When her eyes met his, the air between them seemed to erupt with the strength of the bond between them. Everyone in the pavilion was silenced, dazzled the sheer force of emotion between bride and groom.

Saradoc was the first to overcome the enchantment of the moment. Later he would admit to Esmeralda that he felt that it was really rather unnecessary to go on with the ceremony after that magic filled moment. Saradoc shook himself in an attempt to clear his head, coughed slightly then smiled. "I suppose we are ready to begin then." Saradoc cleared his throat then adopted a look that spoke of his dignity and authority as Master of Buckland. "I, Saradoc Brandybuck, Master of Buckland represent the Four Farthings of the Shire and speak for all Hobbits everywhere. As their representative it is my honor and privilege to conduct this ceremony."

Saradoc paused then held his hands out before him, with his palms turned up. "Do you Merriadoc Brandybuck, Knight of Rohan, and future Master of Buckland, represent this day those loved ones that have passed on before, Drogo and Primula Baggins?"

"With honor I do." Merry replied solemnly.

"Then do you, Meriadoc Brandybuck, a cousin giving his blessing and the blessing of those parted from us, place Frodo’s hand in my palm, representing his coming away from your family to begin his own family, in the community of the Shire remembering that the bonds of blood still hold true?"

"I do." Merry took Frodo’s maimed right hand to lay it palm up in Saradoc’s left. Merry then turned to Frodo, "With my blessing and the blessing of your beloved parents, you leave to begin a new part of your life, with a wife and children of your own. But you never leave the love of your family nor your responsibilities to celebrate with us in times of joy, stand with us in times of need, and mourn with us in times of sorrow." Merry reached up and laid his hand briefly on Frodo’s shoulder before stepping back to stand with Esmeralda.

Saradoc took a deep breath then turned to his right. "Do you, Peregrin Took of Great Smials, Knight of Gondor, and future Took and Thain, represent those loved ones that have passed on before, Marmadas and Lila Gamwhiche?"

"With honor I do." Replied Pippin with a slight catch in his voice and tears glittering in his eyes.

"Then do you, Peregrin Took, a cousin giving his blessing and the blessing of those that have parted from us, place Linwe’s hand in my palm, representing her coming away from your family to begin her own family in the community of the Shire, remembering that the bonds of blood still hold true?"

"I do." Pippin then took Linwe’s left hand to place it palm up in Saradoc’s right hand. Pippin turned to Linwe, his eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill over at any second. "With my blessing and the blessing of your dear mother and father, you leave to begin a new part of you life with a husband and children of your own. But you never leave the love of your family nor your responsibilities to celebrate with us in times of joy, stand with us in times of need, and morn with us in times of sorrow." Pippin leaned forward and placed a paternal kiss on Linwe’s brow before stepping back to stand next to Merenwen.

Saradoc took a deep breath then continued. "And do you Samwise Gamgee and Rose Gamgee" said Saradoc looking at each in turn "Do you who stand with Frodo and Linwe pledge yourselves to be the closest of friends to them, to give help and support to them as they live together as husband and wife, as well as to any children they may have?"

"We do." Said Sam and Rosie in unison.

At last Saradoc turned to Frodo. "Do you Frodo Baggins, son of Drogo and Primula Baggins, and Elf Friend, pledge yourself to Linwe? Do you promise to love only her, to cherish her and care for her and any children you may have with her?"

"I do." Replied Frodo, his eyes bright with emotion but his voice strong and clear.

Saradoc then turned to Linwe; his eyes filled with love for the small lass who had become like a daughter to him. "And do you Linwe Taralom Gamwhiche, daughter of Marmadas and Lila Gamwhiche, pledge your self to Frodo? Do you promise to love only him, to cherish and care for him, and any children you may have with him?"

"I do." Said Linwe looking straight into Frodo’s eyes as tears spilled down her cheeks.

Saradoc took their hands that he held in his own to place them palms together then held them between his own. "This new family is recognized and blessed by the Hobbits of the Four Farthings of the Shire, Buckland, Bree, and where ever else Hobbits reside. We pledge that if this family of Frodo and Linwe Taralom Baggins is ever in need, we will come to their aid and that of any children they may have."

Cheering and applause broke out among the small group gathered to witness this joyous event.

Frodo reached up to gently push back a stray curl that had fallen into Linwe’s face. "I love you, Linwe Taralom Baggins." He said quietly then kissed her.

"Ahem!"

Frodo and Linwe reluctantly ended their kiss and turned to find Merry, Pippin, and Sam, standing shoulder to shoulder before them. Raising himself to his full height Merry spoke. "There is something we would like to say to the new Mrs. Baggins."

Merry fixed his steady gaze on Linwe. "Once not so very long ago, Frodo honorably and bravely took on a task that no one else could. The three of us vowed then to accompany our beloved friend and cousin on this quest, and to render onto him any assistance it was in our power to give to aid him in this most grievous of duties. The quest was successfully completed, evil was destroyed, but at a great price. Each of us was wounded in one way or another, but none so much as Frodo. In honor of that sacrifice as well as the burden we know Frodo still bears, we hold to our vows to accompany and assist him in anyway we are able."

In unison Merry, Pippin, and Sam each crossed their hands upon his chest, bowed their heads in benediction then together raised them up again. Pippin spoke this time, in a voice clear and strong "Linwe Taralom Baggins, I Peregrin Took of great Smials, and Knight of Gondor…"

"And I Meriadoc Brandybuck, of Brandy Hall and Knight of Rohan…" Said Merry his head held high.

"And I Samwise Gamgee of Bag End, a Gardner…" Said Sam proudly but blushing furiously. "Wish to extend to you the vows we have made to Frodo."

"If ever by our presence or our deeds we may be of service to you. You have only to say so and it will be done." Finished Merry.

Together the three bowed deeply to Linwe. When they stood straight once more Sam was blushing to the tips of his pointed ears. Merry and Pippin were both smiling proudly.

Linwe dropped a deep and graceful curtsy. "I Linwe Taralom Baggins, am honored beyond all measure. I accept your vow." Linwe preceded one at a time to embrace each of her cousins and kiss them on the cheek.

Chapter Twenty-six

The wedding of Frodo and Linwe was followed by a celebratory picnic. Blankets were spread beneath Merenwen’s pavilion. Wicker hampers were relieved of their burdens of cold spiced beef, apricot glazed ham, roasted chicken, soft cheeses, hard cheeses, crusty loaves of bread still warm from that morning’s baking, grapes, pears, and apples, as well as little tarts and bite size jam filled cakes.

Everyone was sitting about chatting and nibbling. After a while Merry and Pippin began to play on fiddle and drum. Frodo and Linwe, Sam and Rosie, Saradoc and Esmeralda all danced. Merenwen from time to time would sing a song. The day seemed to pass too quickly as happy days often do. Dusk came early in the heart of the woods signaling time to break up the festivities, "Come along everyone. It is time we send the bride and groom on their way, then the rest of us return to the Hall."

Sam went to retrieve the pony from its place in the shade of the trees while Linwe and Frodo collected final hugs and well wishes from everyone else. Linwe gave one last hug for Sam before he helped her onto the pony’s saddle. Frodo and Sam hugged one another as well then Sam gave Frodo a leg up. Frodo taking his seat just behind Linwe. He put his arms around her then took hold of the reins. ‘Fair wells’ were called out as Frodo and Linwe started to ride off into the trees. Beneath the early dusk of the forest Linwe’s gown could be seen glowing like a moon beam.

~~~~~

Linwe settled back against Frodo and sighed.

"Are you happy?" He asked in a low voice.

"Yes, I’m very happy."

"I’m glad, so am I."

"Are you?" Asked Linwe turning about to see his face "Why yes, I believe you are. How wonderful. I love you."

"I love you too."

They shared a brief delicate kiss then Linwe turned to settle back against Frodo again. As they rode on in silence, Linwe was lulled to sleep by the rocking movements of the pony. In time they arrived at a small, secluded cottage. Frodo spoke softly in Linwe’s ear. "Wake up Linwe, we are here." Linwe opened her eyes blinking several times. Before her was a lovely, little cottage with it’s round windows glowing from the fire and candle light within. Linwe said nothing her mind was still too sleepy from the nap she had on the journey there, but Frodo saw a drowsy smile touch her lips. He held her closer for a moment kissing her on the temple. "I think it is time we got off of this pony to go inside, don’t you?" Said Frodo as he released his hold on her.

Linwe nodded her head. "Yes, I suppose you are right."

Frodo slid down off of the pony then he reached up taking hold of Linwe’s waist he lifted her down. Resting one hand on the small of her back he lead her to the door then into the cottage.

Much had changed since Frodo had been there the day before with Saradoc and Sam. Gone were the cob webs and the thick layer of dust that had covered every surface. The floors and wood work had been polished. Some of the furniture that was rickety had been replaced the newer pieces that had the warm glow of many waxings, and years of loving use themselves. The shelves now held enough colorful dishes for their brief stay. There were also jars of tea as well as a few basic spices. Frodo felt sure that if he were to look in the small pantry he would find it well stocked for their stay. Judging by how brightly the fires burned he also guessed that who ever had been responsible for the welcoming transformation had only just slipped out just before he and Linwe had arrived.

"This is so lovely." Sighed Linwe as she walked further into the room taking in her surroundings.

"It is. I must admit I had my doubts when I saw it yesterday. It was rather dusty to say the least," said Frodo, "someone has put in a lot of work."

The interior of the cottage consisted of two main rooms, the main living area and the bedroom. Frodo watched as Linwe slowly walked around looking at everything.

"Do you think you will be comfortable here?" He asked anxiously.

Linwe turned to smiled at him, "Its perfect."

"I’m glad, I want you to be happy."

Linwe came back to Frodo putting her arms around his neck. "I am happy," she said smiling up at him warmly.

Frodo held her close for a moment nuzzling the soft skin of her neck with his nose. Then pulling back he searched out her lips to kiss her. Linwe’s kisses had a certain delicate quality to them, yet at the same time could be full of fiery passion. Frodo thought he could spend a lifetime kissing her just to learn how to describe them. Feeling his own passion starting to flare up inside himself he reluctantly pulled away. "I think I had better go settle the pony for the night before we are distracted further."

Linwe glanced down and blushed, "Yes, I believe you must…" Linwe paused as a great yawn escaped her. "Oh my!" she said blinking rather owlishly.

"Your tired, aren’t you?"

"I am fine, just a little sleepy from the ride here is all."

Frodo looked closely sown at his wife. Shadows beneath her eyes told him that she was far more tired than she was admitting to. Frodo was once again reminded that it had been a very long week. Even more so for Linwe who he now recalled had mentioned staying up late several nights tending to a number of preparations for the wedding. He also wondered if she had slept much the night before the wedding, he knew he hadn’t. He reached up to touch her face softly said "I will try not to be too long," he said before turning to go out into the evening.

~~~~~

After Frodo had left, Linwe stood looking about for a moment, then smiled then hugged herself. She went into the bedroom to get a better look at everything in there. She found a dressing table with her brushes and combs, as well as an assortment of toiletries she liked to use. There was also a wardrobe where she found her clothes hanging next to Frodo’s. In a drawer she found her underthings and several of her night dresses including one she and Rosie had made just for her wedding night. Linwe took a seat at the dressing table and started to remove the garland of ivy from her hair. The jewel of Arwen Evenstar sparkled softly in the candle light. Linwe paused to touch the lovely jewel and to remember the night that Frodo had given it to her. It hardly seemed that only a week had passed since then. Once her hair was neat and tidy she went to the wash stand that sat beneath a window and washed her face, hands, and feet with lavender scented water. Feeling refreshed she went to the wardrobe and pulled out her night dress then slipped behind a dressing screen in the corner to change.

After she was done preparing for bed, Linwe settled into an upholstered arm chair in front of the bedroom fire place. She watched the dancing flames as nervous thoughts of the night to come passed through her mind. Once again she was reminded that it had been only a week since that night she had spent with Frodo. So much had happened that she felt like it was nearly a dream. After a while the dance of the flames relaxed her, she pulled her feet up tucking them beneath her. Resting her head on the back of the chair she drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~

Frodo lead the pony across a small yard to a shed that held a single stall. As he went about the tasks of settling the docile creature for the night his own thoughts were on the evening to come. Frodo felt a chill of apprehension. So much had happened in such a short span of time he had really not had a chance to really grasp all that had been done and said. Nothing had gone the way these things usually do. Suddenly he felt at a bit of a loss as to what he should do next. He knew what was expected of a newly wed couple on their wedding night. He knew he wanted very much to be with Linwe to share that intimacy with her again. Showing Linwe affection by way of the occasional touch or kiss came easily enough, those gestures occurred in much the same way their first making love had, they were spontaneous. Now Frodo was all too aware that when he went back into the cottage certain things were expected to happen and he did not have the vaguest idea of how to go about such things in a deliberate manner. He was wishing he had thought to talk to Sam or Saradoc about this. But then even if he had, Frodo had to admit to himself that he would likely have been too embarrassed to bring the subject up. How did anyone learn about these things? He thought to himself. Was this the sort of thing that fathers were to pass on to their sons? In a sense Frodo had three fathers in his lifetime. His real father had died before Frodo was old enough to learn anything of the intimacies that occurred between husband and wife. It was Saradoc who had guided Frodo through his teens. It was Saradoc who had taken the time to explain how male and female came together to hopefully create a life. Saradoc’s explanation had been matter-of-fact and had not strayed into the emotional aspect that came when Hobbits did such things. Bilbo had been the least help of them all. He had tried to talk to Frodo about urges and how he should not act on them. Bilbo’s attempt at explaining such matters had been unintelligible. After that Frodo decided that it was perhaps better if he just did his best to ignore lasses until he came of age. Perhaps by then things would start to make sense to him.

Frodo found himself missing the time, not so very long ago, when he and Linwe would just talk. He realized more than anything he just wanted to sit with her, maybe have soothing cup of tea and chat as they had before the events of the past week had occurred. Maybe then everything would just sort of take care of itself. Feeling good about this plan, he finished the task at hand.

~~~~~

"Linwe, I’m back." Frodo announced as he came in the front door. Linwe did not answer. Frodo knocked on the bedroom door, "Linwe? I’m back." He called out again. Still she did not answer. Frodo listened at the door a moment but heard nothing so he pushed the door open and went into the room. Once inside his glance immediately fell on the two arm chairs before the fireplace, there a small figure up curled up sleeping in one of them. Frodo took a moment to just look at her. Linwe was nestled a sideways in the chair, her head supported on the wing coming from the chair back. She has changed into a night dress that had a wide ruffle trimmed with lace around the wide cut neckline, cuffs, and hem. Her small feet were tucked beneath her leaving her knees to peek put from beneath the ruffle on the hem. Her hair free of it’s garland of flowers and ivy shined softly in the firelight.

Frodo knelt before the chair. He took one of the small delicate hands that rested in Linwe’s lap. "Linwe?" he said softly, but she did not stir. Reaching up he gently touched the smooth skin of her cheek and smiled, "I knew you were tired." He said softly to himself. Frodo went over to turn bed to turn down the covers. Then he carefully picked up Linwe carried her to bed. She did not stir. Within just a few minute more, Frodo had changed into his own night shirt banked the fires and blown out the candles. Climbing into bed he gathered Linwe into his arms and was soon asleep himself.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Frodo opened his eyes, the room was dim in the gray, pre-dawn light. He took a moment to remember where he was. The cottage, and it was the morning after his wedding. Linwe was in his arms, her back nestled up against his chest. She was there with him. It had all really happened, like the most beautiful of dreams come to life. He held her a little tighter, suddenly overcome by the joy and wonder of it all. He buried his face in her soft hair, breathing deeply.

Summer

She smelled of summer.

He remembered the first time that thought had come to him. It was just after he had moved back to Bag End. He had found her in the kitchen preparing something for baking. He had watched transfixed at the graceful movements of her hands as they went about their task. She had those ever present loose curls that had fallen in her face. He remembered how he had longed to reach out to brush them back just so that he could feel the silkiness of them against his fingers.

He could do that now.

He loved her.

She loved him.

She was in his arms.

He reached up with trembling fingers to slowly brush the tumble of curls back from her face and neck. It felt like fine satin. Even in the dim light of early morning her hair seemed to shine with a light all it’s own.

Again he inhaled deeply. Once more her summery fragrance took him back to that day at Bag End. He had just invited her to come to stay once Sam and Rosie had moved in. She had joyfully thrown her arms around his neck, like a happy child presented with a gift. He remembered he had put his arms around her, holding her close. She had not felt like a child then or now. She was slender for a full grown Hobbit, but as he held her close he could feel her curves. There could be no doubt she was all grown up. Her hair and skin were redolent of sunshine, soft breezes, lush green grass and shade trees. Recalling that afternoon, that moment, he remembered how he had felt, the tingle of new born passion that had swept through him.

How could he have ignored it?

How could he have gone so long not understanding how he had felt about her?

He loved her.

As his heart relived the memory of that golden afternoon, Frodo reached forward and nuzzled the exposed skin of her neck, inhaling deeply of her mesmerizing fragrance. Once again he felt the tingling sensation sweep through him. His heart raced. His breath quickened. He brought his lips down on the delicate skin just behind her ear then kissed it once, twice, three times. She stirred in her sleep.

"Linwe" he whispered in her ear, kissing the tip of it softly.

She stirred once more. She smiled. He kissed her ear three times more and whispered her name again.

She stretched, moving against him like a cat. He started planting kiss after sensuous kiss on her neck. With a soft sigh she turned her head towards him. His lips closed over hers. He savored the supple feel of her lips against his as he deepened the kiss.

She shifted her body around to face him. Their lips parted briefly, in that moment he looked into her eyes only to be transfixed by the kaleidoscope of colors that were vivid even in the dusky light of early morning.

"I love you." He whispered, but the words did not seem enough to express the sheer force of the feelings he had for her.

As he gazed into her eyes gentle shimmering shades of blue and violet seemed to emerge next to the fiery glimmers of gold. She smiled "I love you," she whispered the words against his lips.

He savored the tender feel of her lips against his own. He could feel his passion for her grow stronger. He surrendered himself to it.

Caught up in the seething storm of feeling and emotion he was unaware that his hand had slid down to come to a rest on her hip until he felt her move against him. A wave of pure passion crashed over him. When Frodo emerged from the churning waters he found Linwe was beautifully naked. Another wave crashed over him this time when he broke through into awareness he found her caressing his bare skin.

Wave after wave of passion and joy hit him. Each coming faster than the one before, stealing his breath, washing all awareness of place and time away. There was only himself with her.

"Oh my Linwe!"

In time the waves subsided. The storm of passion moved off leaving him effused with a warm glow of happiness, contentment, and love.

~~~~~

A beam of sunlight crept across the floor stirring up motes of dust as it passed. Gradually it started to creep up the side of the bed playing with the colors of the quilt, jewel tones of amethyst, emerald, and sapphire. There were shadows as it came upon the peaks and valleys of mussed up bedding. Eventually the shaft of light fell upon a jumble of feet, two smallish ones entwined with two larger ones. There was a slight stirring in the bed the shifting of a leg, the gentle caressing movement of a hand, then a sigh of contentment.

Frodo and Linwe nestled together in the deep soft bedding, holding one another closely. Linwe’s cheek resting on Frodo’s chest as she listened happily to each beat of his heart.

Frodo’s chin rested on the top of Linwe’s head, one hand buried deep in the silky tumble of oh her hair, the other gently caressing her arm. He lay quietly bemused. It all seemed to good to be true, dreams made of sunlight and summer breezes. Frodo half expected to wake up to find he had been dozing under the Mallorn tree, that all that had happened in the last week was nothing but that, sun dreams.

"I love you." He said quietly.

Linwe tilted her head up, Frodo opened his eyes to gaze deeply into hers. "And I love you," she said with a gentle smile.

There lips came together for a lingering kiss, then Frodo let his head fall back to rest on the pillows again. He smiled at her. "I’m afraid Sam is right. I have been behaving the fool. To think I could have been enjoying your kisses long before now."

"Yes, it does seem that it took you a while to see sense, but I suppose that wisdom will eventually come to even one such as yourself." Said Linwe in the haughtiest tone she could manage.

"I am sorry I was blind for so long. Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?" Pleaded Frodo.

"I don’t know. You did put me through so much. I really don’t see as I could have waited much longer for you. Do you have any idea how many marriage proposals I turned down while waiting for you?"

Frodo raised one eye brow, "I can’t say that I do, but I do know of one proposal you accepted, aside from my own that is."

Linwe pulled away from Frodo, her mouth fell open in shock. "How dare you say that? I have done no such thing!"

Frodo smiled mischievously, "I dare say it because it is true. It was after Sam and Rosie’s wedding, you were making a spectacle of yourself dancing with anyone who asked nicely. To think I had been lead to believe you were shy and reserved as well as having a dislike of being in a large crowd."

"I am normally quite shy." She protested.

"Yes dear," said Frodo patting her hand placatingly, "as I was saying, you were dancing at the moment in question. Your partner was Rudiger Bolger. I was standing close by when the dance ended. It was then young Rudiger asked you to marry him. You, my dear, accepted his proposal. The poor lad is only six years old and he is already having his heart broken by a lass with a fickle heart." Here Frodo sighed tragically "But then what can one expect of a Hobbit lass raised in Bree of all places. I would say consorting with all of the big folk there has made you quite strange."

Linwe had put some distance between herself and her husband. Propping her head up on one are she glared at him. "Are you quite finished?" She asked coldly

"Not really, I would like to add that the Baggins family used to be well thought of. Now we have you so I suppose we’ve lost all hope of regaining our former respectability. It is such a pity."

Linwe sat up, modestly keeping herself covered with the sheet. She started carefully arranging the folds of it about her as one might arrange the folds of a rich gown. Once that was done to her satisfaction she raised her head looking down on Frodo imperiously and proceeded to address him. "My dear Mr. Baggins, we are not amused, if you insist upon continuing to insult us in this manner, we shall be forced to take the one pony on the premises to return to Brandy Hall. You sir, may return to Bag End alone."

Frodo’s eyes lit up. "Does that mean I get to watch you walk out of here wearing nothing but that sheet and your dignity? I seem to recall a morning not to long ago when you walked out of my room in just that manner and I must say you were adorable."

Linwe couldn’t help but to return Frodo’s happy grin with one of her own. "Shame on you, Frodo, you are behaving like a cheeky lad." Said Linwe trying to sound stern and failing. "I would expect such behavior from Merry and Pippin but not from you."

"I do apologize, I would hate to disappoint you. Please tell me what you expect of me."

Linwe thought for a moment then said "I expect sweet words and tender caresses."

Frodo sat up moving closer to Linwe, he reached up and pushed a stray curl from her face, leaning in close he asked "Would kisses do?" he then pressed his lips to hers.

Linwe enthusiastically accepted his kiss, delighting in the feel of the movement of his lips against her own. A tingling sensation spread from her lips through out her body to her finger tips and toes. All was well until Linwe abruptly pulled back breaking the contact of their lips. "We simply must stop this." She said

Frodo blinked in confusion. "What…why?"

"Because if we keep this up we will not be leaving this bed at anytime this day."

Frodo looked at her, his wide blue eyes brimming with innocent astonishment. "Were we supposed to? I know my understanding of such matters is lacking to say the least, but I thought that it was customary for newly married Hobbits to spend their first few days of marriage getting better aquatinted with one another in this manner. How else are we supposed to fill Bag End with nine sons?"

"Nine sons?" asked Linwe "Why nine sons?"

"There were eight other members of the Fellowship. I would like to name one son for each member, and one after Bilbo so that makes nine." Explained Frodo.

"I am impressed, dear, that you have obviously given this some thought. But I must ask, will we have any daughters?"

"I am so sorry, I seem to have forgotten our daughters. Let me think for a moment." Frodo laid back on the pile of pillows, he started muttering to himself and counting on his fingers. At last he spoke again, "I have it all sorted out."

"Oh good, please enlighten me, my love," said Linwe, her voice filled with somewhat feigned admiration.

"We will have nine daughters as well as nine sons." He said the light of triumph filling his eyes.

Linwe just looked at him one of her eye brows slightly raised. "I assume you have names picked out for all of these daughters."

"Of course I have, their names will be Linwe, Merenwen, Arwen, Galadriel, Eowyn, Lila, Primula, and Esmeralda."

"Those are lovely names dearest one, but there is one little flaw with your otherwise brilliant plans for naming our children." Said Linwe Sadly

Frodo was incredulous "What could possibly be wrong with those plans?"

"If we are going to name two of our daughters for our mothers and one for Esmeralda, then we really need to name two sons for our fathers and one for Saradoc. It would be the fair thing to do."

"We can’t leave anyone out of the boys names I have chosen. There is no help for it, we will have to have twelve sons."

"If we are having twelve sons then we have to have twelve daughters as well. We can name one ‘Lily’ for both Rosie’s mother and my grandmother."

"And then one for Sam’s mother ‘Bell’, and then maybe Pippin’s mother ‘Elagantine’." Added Frodo.

"There we are. Now we have twelve sons and twelve daughters, that is twenty-four all together."

"A well rounded number. Now that we appear to have that settled can we get back to what we were doing before?" asked Frodo hopefully.

"Not quite, there is something else that I wanted to do." Said Linwe.

"What else is there that my love would like to do, your wish is my command."

"You are getting very good at using sweet words." Linwe complemented him. "You seem to be getting more comfortable with your new roll in life."

"I am finding that this seems the path of least resistance and it is lovely path as well."

"I am so pleased to hear you say that, then we should get along quite well from now on. Now back to that wish that is your command."

"Of course, what does my beloved wish for?"

"I wish to take a bath. Saradoc told me there is a spring not far from here. I think that it sounds like the perfect place to bathe. Would you know where it is?"

"Yes I would."

"Wonderful, then I propose we get out of this bed, get dressed, have a bit of breakfast, then pack a lunch as well as a few necessities that I will need for taking a proper bath," said Linwe, a dreamy smile lighting up her face at the thought of taking a long luxurious bath.

"If that is what you want then that is what you shall have."

~~~~~

Frodo and Linwe took a leisurely pace getting to the spring, talking and laughing as they walked hand in hand. Each carrying a heavily laden basket in their other hand. Frodo led Linwe to a pretty glade where lush ferns grew in abundance. Sparkling sunlight filtered in through the trees filling the glade with a green tinged light. The glade was long and narrow, tendrils of stream rose up off of a spring fed pool surrounded by stone was at one end, the water falling over one edge of the pool feeding a tiny babbling brook.

"Here you are my beloved, your personal bath in the most luxurious surroundings nature could arrange for." Said Frodo with a flourish.

Linwe walked forward her eyes wide taking in the beauty of her surroundings. "This is beautiful." she breathed.

Frodo walked with her, not letting go of her hand. As they came to the edge of the pool, Linwe set down her basket , then holding tight to Frodo’s hand she carefully dipped one foot into the pool. "Is the water to your liking?" He asked.

"Yes, very much so." Linwe sighed.

Frodo watched as Linwe gazed into the pool. The water was crystal clear, all the way to it’s sandy bottom. Linwe’s face filled with longing. Frodo chuckled, "Why don’t I set up our picnic spot while you prepare for your bath."

Linwe absently nodded her head as she took her hand from Frodo’s then raising both hands up started to unfasten the buttons on the front of her dress. All thoughts of picnics left his head as he watched utterly bemused as she opened the front of her dress then pushed it down off of her smooth white shoulders, leaving her torso covered only by the rather sheer cotton of her sleeveless chemise. She then pushed the dress down off of her hips and over her petticoat which was also noticeably sheer.

She kicked her dress negligently aside as she reached up to undo the tiny buttons on the front of her chemise. She seemed unaware of the display she was creating. Frodo could only stand transfixed as he watched her shed these last few articles of clothing then step gracefully down into the waist deep water of the pool.

Linwe walked into the middle of the pool sinking low until the water was up to her chin and her hair fanned out around her floating on the surface of the water. She paused there like that to Frodo she looked like a beautiful flower, then suddenly disappeared the shimmering surface of the water, breaking the spell she had put Frodo under.

Frodo shook himself then set about the task of setting up a picnic space, determinedly keeping his back to the pool where he could hear Linwe splashing about. He had just finished setting things out when, unable to help himself, he turned to see Linwe sitting low in the water, working her hair into a soapy lather. Her eyes were closed as she hummed contentedly to her self. Frodo was mesmerized. With barely a thought for what he was doing, he removed his own clothes and quietly stepped into the pool. Linwe was unaware of his presence until she felt his hands in the sudsy mass of her hair. Frodo stood behind Linwe his fingers massaging her scalp, Linwe let her head rest against his hands luxuriating in the feel of having her hair washed for her. This went on for a few minutes then Linwe ducked her head under the water to rinse the soap out, when she came back up she was facing Frodo, she snaked her arms up around his neck then pulled him down kissing him soundly. "Thank you so much for washing my hair."

"You are most welcome." Smiled Frodo

"May I ask you something?"

"By all means do."

"Why did it take you so long to finally join me in here?" Linwe was now smiling impishly.

Frodo’s eyes widened in surprise. "You knew what you were doing with all of that show of taking your clothes off, didn’t you? You did it on purpose." He accused

Linwe cast her eyes down demurely. "I suppose that I may have a little anyway."

"Have you no shame?" Scolded Frodo "First you brazenly come into my room late at night and disrobe before me."

"Don’t forget I helped you to disrobe then as well." Added Linwe helpfully.

"And today, in broad day light you slowly took off all of your clothes, deliberately displaying yourself in a most scandalous manner. " Finished Frodo.

"In my defense, I would like to point out that you seemed to enjoy it both times. The first time especially, you displayed your appreciation most prominently. And I would think if you did not appreciate it today then you would not be here with me now, in this pool, with your arms around me." Linwe said smugly and with a slight wiggle.

"I ask that you kindly stop that wiggling and carrying on. I only came in here because you were stumbling around in here with your eyes closed. I was afraid you might hurt yourself and drown." Said Frodo loftily

"That is a shame because parts of you seem to like the wiggling and carrying of quite a bit," Linwe said with an arch look.

Frodo blushed "You really do have no shame. I have been deceived into thinking you were this quiet reserved lass. You have captured my here under false pretenses."

"No dearest, I have done no such thing. I am merely displaying a part of my nature that was waiting for my one true love to come along so that I could fully express it." Linwe said.

"Do you promise that is all there is to it? You have already accepted Rudiger Bolger’s proposal. I am sure when next I meet up with him I will have to deal with an embarrassing confrontation. Is there anything else I should know? I would rather not have any more."

"I promise you my dearest beloved there is nothing else you should worry about." Linwe said her eyes filled with sincerity.

"All right then," said Frodo a bit dubiously "I suppose I can trust you. But one hint of your behaving in an unseemly manner and I will have no choice but to never allow you to set foot outside our home again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, my love, you do. I am truly sorry if I caused you needless concern," said Linwe expressing feigned repentance.

"I love you so much, I don’t think I could ever truly be angry with you," Frodo’s eyes were filled with adoration.

Linwe smiled smugly. "I know," she said, touching his nose lightly with her right index finger.

"Cheeky Lass," growled Frodo, while catching her right hand in his left hand. Frodo started to bring her hand to his mouth to kiss it when the bright sunlight revealed a shimmering white mark on her third finger. Frodo looked at the mark closely and saw that it was a fine line that encircled her finger, a scar. He raised up his own right hand to lay it gently on the back of Linwe’s, his fingers resting on top of her own, the remains of his third finger ending where her finger was marked with the scar. All happiness had drained away from Frodo’s face. A deep sadness darkened his eyes. "In all that has gone on this last week I forgot about your scars and how you got them. You went through so much in you own life while I was gone then on top of that you had all of those nightmares that were all too real. I have not yet taken the time to ask you about them."

Frodo took her hand and raised it to his mouth kissing her scar tenderly. Moving around so that he was behind her he lifted aside her long wet hair. He gently touched the scar on the back of neck sighing sadly. He kissed that scar as well. Then moving through the water so that he stood facing her once more he kissed the pale gray scar on her left shoulder. He gathered her in his arms and kissed her tenderly on the mouth. "I love you," He said quietly as he looked deeply into her eyes, "And I would have done anything to have kept you from having to go through all of that, even if it meant never having you in my life."

Linwe lifted Frodo’s left hand to her mouth to kiss -the remaining stub of his third finger. She moved to stand behind him. There she pushed aside the dark curls that rested lightly on the back of neck and kissed the scar that was there. Moving through the water to once again stand before him, she kissed the shimmering scar on his left shoulder. She kissed him tenderly on the lips. "I love you." She said quietly with a tender smile "And I would have endured so much more for the chance to love you.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Sam walked down the dimly lit hallway, on his way to Frodo and Linwe’s room. As he neared the door to their room he heard the sound of merry voices coming from the other side. Sam could not help but smile to himself. He had not quite forgotten the morning last June when he had walked right in, as was his custom at the time, to find Linwe and Frodo together in bed together. He remembered spending most of that day angry first with Frodo then with Linwe. Most of that anger disappeared when Linwe accepted Frodo’s proposal. Their plans to marry quickly had helped Sam as well.

The routines of Bag End had changed little after the addition of a second married couple. Chores were still evenly divided. Only now instead of Linwe and Rosie getting up to start breakfast most mornings, it was Sam and Rosie or Frodo and Linwe. On those mornings that it was his and Rosie’s turn to get the household up, Sam never failed to knock then wait to be invited in if he went in at all. This wasn’t very often, Frodo and Linwe proved to be a very loving couple. Most mornings they were not fit to receive visitors in their room.

Sam had just raised his hand up to lightly rap on the bedroom door when he heard Frodo cry out, "I am going to get you for that!" This was followed by a squeal of laughter from Linwe then the sound of running feet coming near the door. Sam jumped back out of the way just in time for the door to suddenly burst open. A laughing Linwe came flying out. Barely two heartbeats Frodo came running out as well, quickly closing the gap between himself and Linwe. Husband and wife were oblivious to Sam’s presence. In about three strides down the hallway Frodo caught up to Linwe. Reaching out he quickly grabbed her about the waist, sweeping her off of her feet causing Linwe to squeal again. Sam cleared his throat loudly before Frodo and Linwe’s latest antics could go any further. At the sound of Sam’s voice Frodo whirled around his arms still locked firmly about Linwe’s waist holding her so that only the tips of her toes could skim across the tiles of the floor. Linwe’s hair hung like a curtain in front of her face, Sam could just barely make out the gleam of her eyes and the flash of her smile.

"Oh! Good morning Sam." Laughed Frodo.

"Good morning to you as well. I just came to let you know that Rosie has breakfast about ready. Then, Mr. Frodo, you and I really need to get over to the Cotton’s farm to help with the apple picking."

"All right, Sam, we will be along in a few minutes."

Sam walked past them then heard them burst out laughing just before he heard their door shut behind them. Sam shook his head as he continued to make his way back to the kitchen. He was still trying to get used to Frodo and Linwe as a couple. Before their marriage Linwe had been generally quiet and reserved unless she was angry at someone. Even then she did not shout. Frodo had tried to behave more like his old self before the quest but he had not been able to fool Sam. As a couple Frodo and Linwe were entirely different people. Linwe especially seemed to take great delight in spontaneously throwing her arms around Frodo’s neck to kiss him soundly. Frodo, however, was a little more restrained, preferring to unobtrusively slip an arm around her then perhaps place a light kiss on Linwe’s head. Sam supposed there was nothing wrong with all of this. The Frodo before the quest was a more studious sort of Hobbit but had still been able to sing and dance with the best of Hobbits. The post quest Frodo was capable of making the occasional witty remark, but was for the most part reserved. Sam had not known Linwe until they had met the previous November. He had been impressed by her. Linwe had a good share of good Hobbit sense, which Sam attributed to her being of the Longfather line, as well as being intelligent and quick of wits, which Sam was generous enough to admit probably came of her being a Took and Brandybuck. Sam could accept that the Frodo he knew before the quest would have been a light hearted, affectionate husband, but the Frodo that had survived Mordor, Sam had assumed would be quiet and reserved in marriage. As for Linwe, well there was nothing to prepare Sam for the exuberant lass that was Linwe under the effects of true love.

Aside from a few slightly embarrassing moments, Sam truly was happy that Frodo and Linwe were finally together. He loved them both and wanted them to be happy.

~~~~~

The drier days of September had settled over the land. The once vibrant green of the leaves on the trees were now dusty and dull, some leaves were starting to be tinged in crimson and gold. The last warm days of summer gave way to crisp cool nights. Harvest time was in progress all over the shire as the fruits of a bountiful growing season were gathered to be stored in already bulging pantries, cellars, and store rooms.

Frodo stood atop a ladder gathering the last of the years apples. The trees in the Cotton’s apple orchard had produced an astoundingly large crop, so Sam and Frodo were lending a hand in picking them in exchange for a share of the apples. The share that was so large that Linwe and Rosie were wondering what they would do with so many. As Frodo gathered the apples, taking care to place them carefully in his basket so as not to bruise them, he let his mind wander over pleasant memories made just that summer. To him the magic of the summer had started the day he married Linwe. Sometimes he still expected to wake up to find that it had all been a dream. But oh what a dream it has been, if in fact that is all it is. He thought to himself.

The three days at the woodcutters cottage had been some of the happiest of his life. Linwe had not been able to get enough of the little spring fed pool in that green glade. Hobbits in general had a fondness for bathing, but Frodo found bathing with Linwe to be a most pleasant way of getting clean. One of the first things he did when they had returned to Bag End was to have a larger tub put in the bathroom adjoining the room that what was now his and Linwe’s. At Linwe’s suggestion he had one put in Sam and Rosie’s bathroom. Sam protested this at first, but once the task was done, Rosie told Linwe that Sam was pleased with the larger tub himself.

Life had become a little hectic when he and Linwe returned to Brandy Hall after their honeymoon. Their sudden, secret wedding had created a stir to say the least. Rumors were flying all over the Shire as to the reasoning behind it, most of those were brought to an end by Linwe’s figure staying slender. Folk from all over started to send invitations asking Frodo and Linwe to attend one sort of social event or another to be held in their honor. There were a few that Frodo and Linwe were happy to attend, such as a family dinner at the Cotton farm, but most were declined. Pippin’s mother, Eglantine, took matters into her own hands at that point, by insisting that a proper wedding reception be held at Great Smials. "Eglantine, we don’t want a large party, that was the point to our slipping off to be married when no one was looking." Protested Frodo when he and Linwe had been told of the plan.

"Frodo Baggins, you can not possibly expect everyone to go on as though nothing has happened. Folk will continue to send invitations, urging parties on you that you do not want, well into next summer even. The easiest way to make that stop is to have a grand party for you to give folk a chance to make a proper fuss over you. Then they will leave you alone." Eglantine said all of this standing in the middle of Esmeralda’s cheery sitting room having made a special trip from Great Smials to Brandy Hall so that she could be there when Frodo and Linwe returned from the cottage. Eglantine stood in the middle of the room looking down on Frodo and Linwe who were sitting side by side on a settee. For Frodo the scene was not unlike so many he had lived through in childhood when he had been caught pulling pranks or stealing from local farmers.

Frodo and Linwe gave in to going through the fuss of a "proper" wedding reception. Pearl Took, Pippin’s oldest sister was given the task of planning the event. Pearl had a flair for drama. She used her talent to it’s full extent in planning this particular celebration. Not surprisingly she found most willing helpers, or rather conspirators, in Merry and Pippin. Frodo winced through most of the planning but he could not remain silent when Pearl informed him that he would once again be expected to don the ceremonial attire he had been given in Gondor. "I will go through with this reception but I will do it in my usual clothes. I have a lovely waistcoat Linwe herself made for me, I will wear that." Frodo said firmly.

Pearl paused to take a deep breath, then in a calm but equally firm voice said, "No Frodo you will wear your finest. In fact you will do as I say in all of this. I know what needs to be done. All you have to do is what I tell you to do. It is for the best."

"I fail to see how it is for the best." Argued Frodo.

"Frodo, you have to trust me on this, I know what I am doing."

Frodo sighed, "I am thinking Linwe and I would have been better off just quietly leaving the Shire entirely. Perhaps it isn’t too late for that."

In the end, Frodo and Linwe went through with all of the pomp and ceremony that Pearl with her conspirators could think up. It was especially hard on Linwe, who was not comfortable in large gatherings let alone being the center of attention. One day Frodo over heard Rosie and Linwe discussing this.

"Linwe, I don’t see why you are so nervous about this. It isn’t any different than what you experienced at my wedding. You had a wonderful time that day." Said Rosie

"Your wedding was completely different. I was nervous that day as well but not as much so because I knew you were the center of everyone’s attention not me." Replied Linwe.

"You danced with practically every lad there that night. Believe me, you were getting a lot of attention that night."

"A few of the lads were being nice to me, that is all. They were dancing with me because Merry and Pippin asked them to." Retorted Linwe.

"No dear," Rosie said with a chuckle, "they were not just dancing with you because Merry and Pippin asked them to, they were dancing with you because they wanted to."

Customarily the guests of honor at any Hobbit party stood with the host to receive the other guests. Pearl did not feel this was grand enough, so she decided that Frodo and Linwe would not arrive at the event until nearly all of the guests had arrived. It was debated as to whether they should ride up on a silvery pony, or come out of the Smials through the main entrance. "There will be no such entrance." Said Frodo emphatically. "I will wear those ridiculously extravagant clothes but we will make no ‘grand entrance’ as you put it. Linwe and I will greet the guests as is customary, no more."

Pearl sighed theatrically "Frodo you have to do this. The idea is to give everyone such a show that they will barely notice when you refuse every invitation to every last little tea and dinner party that has been coming since word of your marriage got out. Besides, you are the Deputy Mayor of the Shire, and the leader of the Four Travelers…"

"I was not the leader!" protested Frodo

Pearl ignored him going on as though Frodo had not spoken "… who miraculously returned a year after their mysterious disappearance to heroically the revolt against the roughians. The folk of the Shire know very little of what you did on your journeys. Everyone knows what you did for the Shire and for that they want very much to be a part of the marriage of the leader of their conquering heroes. Add to that Linwe has made quite a reputation for herself around Hobbiton and Bywater as a healer…"

"I’m not a true healer. I have never done a formal apprenticeship."

"… so in the view of Shire folk this is a very important wedding and you are going to play your parts as though you were royalty."

Frodo could only sigh in resignation. There was no use arguing with Pearl when she set her mind to something. In the end Frodo and Linwe suffered through the embarrassing spectacle that was planned by those that loved them best.

The main entrance to Great Smials was midway up in a large hill that overlooked a broad lawn that was the traditional location of large Took family gatherings. Gently rising steps led from the door of the smials down to a gravel drive that crossed in front of the entrance. On the day of the party, Pearl waited until she was sure most of the guests had arrived then signaled Merry who came out through the door, resplendent in his livery of Rohan. He stood at the top of the steps, lifted his horn of Rohan to his lips then let out three short blasts. All of the guests turned at the sound of the horn to look towards Merry. The doors of Great Smials opened once more revealing Sam and Pippin, each of them dressed in their own finery, who took places on either side of the doors. Merry let loose with one last long blast of his horn, as the ringing tones of the horn call died away, Sam and Pippin pulled open the doors, revealing Rosie who was looking radiant in the gown she had worn for her own wedding. Rosie stepped out with a small basket on her arm and walked forward down the steps scattering rose petals in her wake. When she reached the bottom of the steps she and Merry took places on opposite sides of the steps. Merry let loose with one last long call on his horn. Sam and Pippin opened the doors once more. Frodo and Linwe stepped from the shadows of the hall into a beam of sunlight that set Linwe’s gown and hair ablaze.

The scene and the day was carried off better than Pearl had hoped for. The guests were all awestruck by the impressive entrance of the happy couple. Frodo and Linwe then joined the party to do their very best to make sure they talked to every guest. Despite their embarrassment over Pearl’s theatrics they decided it was all worth while. After that day Frodo and Linwe were left mostly alone.

~~~~~

The market day was one of Rosie’s favorite days of the week. She enjoyed doing the shopping in the company of friends and neighbors that she would likely not see again the rest of the week when everyone tended to be busy around their own homes. Today Rosie stood chatting with Camellia Brockhouse while she watched Linwe standing a short distance away admiring Peony Brumbleburr’s new baby. When Camellia was called away by the cries of her youngest child Rosie continued watching Linwe fuss over little Ruby. Rosie chuckled to herself remembering Linwe and Frodo had come home from their honeymoon with plans to have about thirty-three babies, since then the number had risen as they tried to come up with an equal number of boys names and girls names, each child to be named after someone special.

Rosie had known Frodo for years. He had always been a happy person. he was kind, rarely showing anger for anyone or anything. It had broken Rosie’s heart, when the lads had returned home, to see the cheerful light in Frodo’s eyes dimmed. As Sam slowly told Rosie what he and Frodo had been through on their journeys, Rosie came to be amazed that either of them had come back with any glimmer of their former selves intact. But it would now seem that salvation was still possible for even one so badly hurt as Frodo. All he had needed was Linwe.

~~~~~

Linwe was admiring Peony’s new baby and wondering to herself when she and Frodo might be so blessed. Then she smiled to herself as she recalled that a short time ago, having children was the furthest thing from her mind. For possibly the first time in her life Linwe felt she was really living. She could hardly remember a time when she did not feel that part of her was missing. With Frodo she felt complete.

Chapter Twenty-nine

"Wake up, my beautiful one," said a low voice near Linwe’s ear. Linwe was lying on her side, she shifted her legs a little then opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry at first, as it often is when one first wakes up in the morning. She blinked several times in an effort to clear her blurry, morning vision. Her eyes saw a small white box tied with a pink satin bow, sitting on the pillow before her. She smiled. "You should open it," said the low voice. It was so near that the breath of the one who spoke tickled her

Slowly Linwe reached up, took the box then rolled onto her back. She smiled up at Frodo. "This is entirely unfair. I was not planning on giving you your present until the party tonight."

"This is just a small token to start the day with. I will wait until tonight to give you the extra special gift. Now go ahead, open this one," Frodo said insistently.

Linwe pushed herself up into a sitting position then holding the box in her left hand she pulled on end of the pink ribbon with her right. The bow came undone letting the ribbon fall away from the box. Linwe lifted the lid off of the box then peered inside. There, tucked in a nest of tissue paper was a small frog sitting on a lily pad, all made of chocolate. "Oh Frodo! This is simply too darling to eat!"

"Now that would be something new to see. I have never seen you turn down chocolate," he said then kissed her cheek.

Linwe sighed tragically, "That is all too true. I am sure it will lead to my ruin. Will you still love me even then."

"I will always love you, even if little Rudiger Bolger steals your heart from me by offering you an endless supply of chocolate from his mother’s shop."

"You are truly too good for me."

"I know," said Frodo then kissed his wife on the nose causing her to giggle.

~~~~~~

Later that same morning, Linwe was preparing to take a bath. Normally she waited until the evening after she and Rosie were done with washing up after dinner. Some evenings Frodo would join her. Today Rosie had insisted that Linwe take the day off since it was her birthday. Frodo had disappeared not long after first breakfast with little explanation of where he was going off to. Linwe found she had time do pretty much what ever she pleased so she decided that a long bath would be nice. The fact that Rosie suggested this then strongly encouraged the notion helped Linwe to make her decision.

As the bath tub filled, Linwe went to fetch clean towels from the bathroom cupboard. There sitting on top of the towels was a white box tied up with a pink satin bow. She lifted the box out untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. Inside she found three glass bottles of fragrant bath oil. Linwe savored the aroma of all three before choosing to pour a judicious amount of the lavender scented oil into the hot bath water.

After spending about an hour soaking in fragrant water, Linwe emerged. When she went into her bedroom to dress she was surprised to find someone had slipped in while she had been bathing and had laid out the pink dress she had worn for Rosie and Sam’s wedding. It was one of Frodo’s favorites, he said the color exactly matched her blush. An envelope rested on the folds of the luxurious fabric. When Linwe picked up the envelope she found it was addressed to her in Frodo’s gently flowing hand. Linwe smiled as she opened the note and read...

"Go to the Mallorn tree."After dressing quickly, Linwe slipped out the back entrance to the hole, unobserved. I was a lovely September day, the air was pleasantly warm and dry. The sort of day that made one want to spend the entire day outside in the sunshine and fresh air. Linwe hurried along to the Mallorn tree, there she found a note attached to the tree with a pink satin ribbon. This time the note read…

"This is only just started, now you must go to the bridge that crosses The Water."

One note after another eventually led Linwe to the grove of trees bordering the Cotton farm, where she and Frodo liked to walk. The last message had told her to follow the pink bows into the grove. Linwe found the old path she and Frodo would often follow, lined with trees decorated with pink bows. Linwe laughed out loud from sheer happiness and wondered what other surprises Frodo had in store for her.

Linwe made her way quickly through the trees. Soon she could see where the creek cut a trench through the middle of the grove. A few more yards and Linwe could see the ancient oak tree where Frodo had found her the November before, was festooned with a very large pink bow. At the foot of the tree a quilt had been spread, on top of that was a white basket, also tied with a pink bow. Linwe turned all the way around while calling Frodo’s name. When she turned back to the tree there stood Frodo, smiling at her. "Happy birthday," He said quietly.

Linwe ran towards him then threw her arms around his neck. "Oh Frodo, it is the loveliest thing anyone has ever done for me!" Exclaimed Linwe then kissed him. Frodo instinctively tightened his arms around her, holding her closer. The kiss deepened, their heart beats quickening. Frodo pulled away breaking the kiss but still holding Linwe close. "I think we should give our attention to the picnic in that basket," he said, his voice slightly breathless. "I would hate to have someone come along to find us in what could be a most interesting situation."

Linwe chuckled, "You worry to much, my love. We have nothing to be ashamed of. If anyone should see us, which I doubt anyone would, all they would see is a husband and wife loving one another."

"You do have a way of making pretty much anything seem perfectly reasonable, but all the same I would rather not put on such a display. I would prefer to keep that particular expression of love private. Now come and see the picnic I have made for us."

"I would be happy too, but you seem to be holding me rather tightly," Linwe gazed into Frodo’s eyes smiling smugly, "Your words say one thing but your arms say something else."

Frodo tried to scowl at his wife, "Cheeky lass!" then removed his arms from about her. He took one of her hands in his leading her over to the blanket with the basket resting on the top. Sitting closely together on the blanket Frodo started to unpack the basket displaying all of the delicacies for Linwe’s approval. Frodo had amassed nearly all of Linwe’s favorite foods. There was fried chicken, zesty pickled carrots, Rosie’s sourdough herb bread, a creamy, tangy cheese that came from the east farthing, grapes, sweet glazed and spicy roasted nuts as well as bite size petit four cakes.

Late morning passed to early afternoon savoring the food and sharing stories of past birthdays. Frodo told Linwe of the first birthday he celebrated at Bag End. "Esmeralda, Saradoc and Merry all came to spend a few days at Bag End. Merry and I spent the day of my birthday roaming where ever we pleased. Our feet eventually took us to Farmer Muddyfoot’s apple orchard. Merry and I were hungry so we decided to borrow some of the apples. We didn’t wish to bother Farmer Muddyfoot so I told Merry that it would only be considerate if we climbed up to sit in one of the trees, then we could eat our fill without being a bother to anyone. The venture went well for a while, we climbed the tree without any problem. W e found comfortable perches to sit in while we enjoyed our snack. It was not until we decided we had enough that we ran into trouble. Being the oldest I started down first, the idea being I could catch Merry if he happened to fall. As soon as I started down I realized we had climbed much higher than I had originally estimated. A fairly strong breeze had started to move the branches of the tree. I started to get nervous. Moving slowly I started making my way down. I made it about half way and was starting to feel more confident when my foot slipped, I did not have a tight hold with my hands so I fell and broke my arm when I hit the ground. Merry scrambled down fast then started hollering for help. Two of Farmer Muddyfoot’s sons hear him and came to my rescue. I spent the evening of my birthday in bed, my arm in a tight splint, with Esmeralda forcing the most horrible tasting concoctions down my throat. It was one of the most miserable birthdays I have ever had."

"It was well deserved, Frodo Baggins! What a dreadful boy you were. Do you realize that because of you my birthday was ruined as well that year?"

Frodo’s face immediately took on a look of alarm and horror, "You mean you felt that too?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I did. Late that same afternoon my arm started hurting something dreadful, but I had been doing nothing more than reading. My mother and father were baffled. When my arm started swelling mother started making me take some truly horrible tonics. Here I have been feeling terribly guilty for not having planned more for you after all the trouble you have gone to for me today. I think now it is all nothing more than I deserve. You owe me a birthday."

Frodo’s face was filled with anguish horrified at discovering he had brought more pain to her. "Linwe, my darling, I am so very sorry. If I had known I would have…"

"…acted no differently. " Linwe said with a smile, "I am not really upset about it, please don’t fret, Frodo. There is nothing you could have done and I would not change any of it not matter how much it all hurt."

The troubled look did not leave Frodo’s face, "I am so sorry."

"That will be enough Mr. Baggins. No more apologies. Now, kindly get that look of guilt off of your face or I will kiss you again."

Frodo could not keep up his regretful mood with Linwe smiling so happily at him. However Linwe’s threat was too much to resist at well. Frodo suppressed his own smile and made a great effort to continue looking completely shameful then he said. "I am so very sorry."

"That’s it!" cried Linwe "Now I will show you no mercy." She grabbed Frodo by the shoulders, pulled him closer then kissed him firmly on the lips. Frodo’s reaction was immediate, his arms went around her as he returned her kiss with equal intensity.

Two hours later every stitch of clothing had been discarded. The remains of their picnic lunch had been haphazardly shoved aside. Frodo and Linwe lay nestled in the secure embrace of one another’s arms. In drowsy contentment they gazed up into the leaves and branches over head. Linwe sighed, "I feel like I could lay here looking up through the trees forever. It is so beautiful and peaceful here under the trees."

"We could," said Frodo as an idea started to form in his mind.

"Of course we could. Though someone would have to bring us food and more blankets. Rosie and Sam seem to love looking after us but I somehow think that even this would test their loyalty."

"I didn’t mean that, you cheeky lass. What I meant is that if you wanted we could build a house here. We could build it in the style of Rivendell with the house being built around the trees, all open and airy in the warmer months."

Linwe looked up at Frodo in surprise. "Are you suggesting that we leave Bag End? Leave Sam and Rosie?"

"Dearest, it isn’t as though we were moving to the very end of Middle Earth. We can build the house here, Rosie and Sam would be near enough to visit with everyday if we wanted to. At the very least it is something to consider. We do have all twenty-nine of our future children to think about. I am sure Sam and Rosie will have one or two of their own. Bag End will likely become over crowded."

"This is true. I would not want Sam and Rosie’s child to drown in the heap of our own brood. But if we move out it will hurt Sam’s feelings. You know how much he loves the idea of us living raising our families together in Bag End." Said Linwe

"This is true," Frodo was silent for a few moments, Linwe could tell he was thinking over the situation. "What if we were to build ourselves a small place out here as our little place to be by ourselves. Sam and Rosie could use it as well. When ever either couple was feeling the need for more privacy they could come here."

"That would be nice," Linwe said thoughtfully.

"And in the event that Bag End becomes over crowded, we can add on to the house here turning it into a proper home for our family."

"It does seem like a good plan."

"Then we will. All winter long we can drawing up plans. Next spring we can break ground, maybe as early as next March." ear. The one who spoke was her own dear Frodo. He was behind her, near enough so that she could feel the warmth of his body against her back.

Chapter Thirty

Sam and Frodo sat at a table near the window of the sitting room playing a game of backgammon. Sam was winning, but then Sam usually did. He also tended to usually win at checkers. Frodo was wondering if he could at least even the odds by talking Sam into learning to play chess. Rosie and Linwe were sitting nearer the fire, sewing and chatting, their needles flickering in the light. It was what had come to be a typical evening in Bag End. After the dishes from the evening meal had been washed up and all of the chores for the day were finished the

The large round window had its two inset rectangular sections open to let in the soft evening breeze which smelled of wood smoke and the spicy scent of dry autumn leaves. Rosie inhaled deeply and sighed. "The air smells so wonderful tonight."

"Enjoy it while you can, Rosie Lass, this mild weather has been here longer than usual. We are over due for a change towards winter," said Sam.

"I know," sighed Rosie, "and the summer was so busy this year that I feel as though I hardly had a moments quiet to just sit and watch the flowers grow. Now here it is well into autumn, I have not had much chance to admire the colors of the leaves on the trees, and I doubt I ever will, there is simply too much to be done before winter sets in."

"You only have yourself to blame for it," said Linwe, "I seem to recall that several times this summer, Frodo and I very neatly arranged for the two of you to take a day to yourselves and each and every time you would end up agreeing to use the day helping someone else. The two of you should go off on your own tomorrow. There isn’t anything around here that can not wait for just one more day."

"We can’t go tomorrow," said Sam, "Frodo and I have to finish mulching the vegetable garden and pressing the rest of the apples for cider."

"Oh Sam, honestly!" Linwe said in exasperation. "You just named two things that could wait a week let alone a day. Rosie wants to go and see the leaves, don’t you Rosie?"

Rosie laughed, "Well yes, I do, but Linwe, really, Sam is right. There is an awful lot around here that needs to be done."

"Oh bother, Rosie, when isn’t there a lot to be done? The dead of winter when, and even then the two of you will find any number of things that you feel absolutely must not wait another day. You are going out tomorrow. I am personally going to pack you a huge basket of food. You will leave immediately after breakfast and you are not to speak to any Hobbits besides yourselves from the time you leave this hole till the time you get back."

Sam turned to Frodo and asked "How does she do that?"

"Do what?"

"Just decide things like that and somehow leaving no room for argument?"

Frodo smiled mischievously, "Don’t be ridiculous, Sam. I am sure that if you would rather not go, Linwe would understand."

"Tell me, Mr. Frodo, how many arguments have you won with her when she had herself so set?"

Frodo chuckled quietly, "As of today, not a single one. But that isn’t to say Linwe isn’t understanding. She is always considerate of other points of view. It’s just that somehow she always manages to make her point of view seem so much more reasonable."

~~~~~

The following morning Linwe was true to her word. By the time breakfast was ready a very large basket had been packed with enough food to keep a family of Hobbits fed for at least two days. Linwe then literally pushed Rosie and Sam out the door as they were still chewing on their last bits of toast.

Frodo and Linwe each went about doing their own tasks. Frodo went out to do some work in the garden Linwe stayed busy in the kitchen. When Frodo came in for second breakfast Linwe noticed that he was not quite himself. He was quiet during the meal staring out the kitchen window seemingly lost in thought and responding very little to Linwe’s attempts at conversation. Finally Linwe just sat and observed Frodo as she sipped her tea. She thought perhaps he looked a little pale, his mind was quite obviously somewhere else. When Linwe had finished her tea she got up and went around the table to where Frodo sat. Frodo appeared to take no notice of her until she put one arm around his shoulders and one hand on his forehead. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I am feeling your forehead to see if you are feverish."

"Why?"

"Because you are rather pale and withdrawn this morning. You have also barely touched your breakfast."

"I feel fine, I guess my mind is wanting to wander this morning."

"Wandering where?"

"No where in particular."

"I am still not completely satisfied, maybe you should rest today."

Frodo had taken Linwe’s hand into his during this exchange and had been admiring her long elegant fingers. He loved her hands and enjoyed watching their graceful movements. Now he kissed the back of her hand and smiled up at her. "Maybe I will take it slow this afternoon, but I promised Sam that I would finish mulching the vegetable garden. In fact I should go get to it now."

"Oh very well. But promise me that you will be careful."

Frodo chuckled, "It is only mulch, dear. I think I will manage to survive somehow."

Linwe watched Frodo go. He had smiled and chuckled but Linwe thought she had seen a shadow in his blue eyes. Linwe forcefully pushed the worry from her mind. There was no sense in fussing over it; if Frodo had something on his mind he would tell her when he was ready, or at least easily persuaded to tell her.

When it was time for elevenses, Linwe put the meal and a pitcher of apple cider on a tray and carried outside. She found Frodo standing in the middle of the vegetable patch with his back to her. He was not moving. "Frodo, it is time for elevenses." She called out but Frodo did not respond. Linwe felt a shiver of apprehension pass through her. She moved to within five feet of where he stood. "Frodo, did you hear me? I said…"

The next few moments passed in a blur. Frodo suddenly turned on Linwe brandishing his shovel like a weapon. Ready to strike her down, and nearly did. Linwe screamed. She threw the tray she was carrying away from her, put her arms over her head and crumpled to the ground into a tight protective ball. "Linwe," she heard Frodo cry. Her Frodo, not that being who had tried to attack her.

In the next instant , Frodo was kneeling on the ground next to her gathering her into his arms. She put her arms around his neck and buried her face in his hair and cried. Waves of fear, horror and shame washed over her. Frodo held Linwe tightly rocking her gently, back and forth, and cried as well. "It’s all right. Please don’t be frightened." two couples would spend some quiet time together before retiring to their own rooms. About once a week Sam and Frodo would go to the Green Dragon to share a pint of two with The Gaffer. This did not happen as often as used to be their habit of visiting the inn, but Sam had married his reason for being a frequent patron of the inn. Frodo just didn’t care for being in public all that much anymore, and besides he had Linwe at home now.

Linwe sniffed. "I will stop being frightened when you stop."

"I don’t know if I can. I nearly hurt you and that it very frightening."

Linwe pulled back a little and looked into Frodo’s eyes. "What happened Frodo?"

"I don’t know. Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"I’m fine. A little shaken is all. You are changing the subject. What happened? You did not answer the first time I called out to you. You just stood there, perfectly still. Then when I came up behind you and said your name again you turned swinging that shovel as though I were a foe come to attack you."

Frodo looked away and paused before speaking, "I don’t know where my mind was when you first came out. I guess you took me by surprise. I am very sorry. Are you sure you’re not hurt?"

Linwe sighed, she still did not believe he was being completely honest with her, but she also knew that he would not tell her anything if he did not want to. "I think I am just a little shaken, nothing more."

"All the same, I think I would feel better if we went back inside and I fix us some tea. I think I would feel better if I took some time to just take care to you.

"That is a good idea. If you are taking care of me then that is good reason for you to stay in and have a restful day yourself."

~~~~~

Frodo sat staring into the fire embers. Dark memories were lurking at the edges of his mind. He fought to keep them pushed away, to not let them play themselves out. With an effort he kept up a cheerful appearance all of that day. It was a day filled with simple homey pleasures that should have left Frodo feeling happy and content, but did not. Instead Frodo felt threatened though he knew not why.

As darkness fell, Frodo’s sense of foreboding grew. Something was not right about the day and he was looking forward to it being over. All he wanted was to climb into bed with Linwe, hold her close as he went to sleep and hope that with the morning the fear would be gone. He sat waiting for Linwe to finish changing for the night and wished she was there with him sitting on his lap distracting him with kisses. He sat alone waiting and feeling the shadows of his mind closing in. Frodo shivered and turned to look towards the bedroom window, sure he had felt a draft, but the window was closed. Once more he stared into the fire embers. His anxiety grew. He thought he saw from the corner of his eye the shadows in the room growing and coming in closer. He told himself it was nothing and kept staring into the fire. He felt his eye lids growing heavy so he let his head rest on the back of the chair. He closed his eyes, just until Linwe was with him. Just for a moment...

Cold

Darkness

Mist

Frodo looked around him, not knowing where he was. He heard a sound that sent chills through him. A sinister whispering came at him from one side but when he turned to look for the source of the sound it seemed to have moved to come from his other side.

"Who’s there?" he called out but know one answered.

Frodo peered into the darkness, trying to see something, anything. From the corner of his eye he thought he saw a flutter of movement. Snapping his head in that direction he saw nothing. Frodo’s heart started to pound. He felt sure that something was moving towards him. Swallowing hard past a lump in his throat he tried to calm himself. There is nothing there.

Another movement.

Frodo continued to look around him. He called out once again but was only answered by more to he sinister whispering. It grew louder and sounded as though it were drawing nearer. Then directly in front of him a dark ghostly form rose from the mist. Frodo could only stand and watch, paralyzed with fear, as the specter moved nearer. It held

The blade came down, moving swiftly through the air.

Frodo screamed as searing cold pain pierced the skin of his left shoulder.

~~~~~

Linwe sat at her dressing table in the bathroom carefully combing out her hair. Sam and Rosie had yet to return home, Linwe assumed they stopped in to visit with Rosie’s family or Sam’s father for a while. Linwe was glad they were away. If either had witnessed what had happened in the garden that day, it would have caused a large stir. As it was Linwe had been able to keep things quiet the rest of the day. Peace and quiet was what Frodo had needed more than anything. That and a good nights rest and she was sure he would feel himself again in the morning.

Linwe stood and checked her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing one of her favorite night dresses, she shivered and remembered that this was likely to be the last time she wore it until spring. It was not warm enough to wear on chilly winter nights. Before stepping back into the bedroom she picked up a bottle. It was filled with a lavender water, she liked to dab some on before going to bed. She found the fragrance to be relaxing. Suddenly Linwe gasped as a burning cold pain stabbed into her shoulder. The bottle fell from her hands shattering on the floor before her. Shards glittered on the floor like stars in the night sky. If Linwe had noticed she would have found the random pattern to be rather mesmerizing. Frodo was screaming. Pain, fear, and screaming was all that she was aware of. She rushed out of the bathroom heedless of where her foot steps fell. She didn’t notice the pain of bits of glass cutting into her small feet.

In the bedroom Linwe found Frodo in his chair holding his right hand to his left shoulder. He was gasping for breath. Linwe fell to her knees before the chair. "Frodo! Are you all right? What happened?"

Frodo opened his eyes. They were dark with several kinds of pain. "I am all right. It was only a dream."

"That was more than a dream. You were in pain. You still are!"

"It is easing now, it is nothing."

"Don’t lie to me, Frodo! You know better."

"Please, Linwe," pleaded Frodo, "Do not make me discuss it now. Leave it till morning, when it is light. I beg you."

Linwe bit her lip as she quickly debated the issue in her mind. Finally she had to admit to herself that she too did not wish to discuss the matter in the darkness of the night. "Very well then, but tomorrow you will tell me what this is all about."

Frodo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, now if you are ready all I want is to go to bed and let this day be over." Frodo stood up and took Linwe’s hands in his to help her up. Linwe set one foot beneath her and shifted some weight to it and gasped in pain. "Linwe what is it?" Frodo asked in alarm, before she could say anything he noticed the drops and smears of blood on the floor and leaving large blotches on the hem of her gown. Then he saw the bottoms of her feet were bleeding. "What happened?"

Linwe’s broken response came threw clinched teeth, "Dropped a bottle…heard you scream…I ran."

Frodo bent down and lifted Linwe onto the chair. He held one of her feet up to the fire light to examine the bottom of it. "You’ve quite a few cuts and it looks like there are still bits of glass embedded deep into some of them." He then looked at her other foot. "This one has at least one deep cut that looks like it could use stitches."

"No stitches!" Linwe said emphatically.

"Linwe, please don’t start being difficult."

"I am not being difficult. Just bind them up, I am sure I will be fine. If I need stitches it can wait until tomorrow."

Frodo sighed, "Very well, I suppose we can save some of today’s commotion for tomorrow. I would not want Sam and Rosie to miss out."

~~~~~

Frodo lay in bed, wide awake. Linwe was nestled up close to him. He had made her drink one of her own medicinal teas to ease the pain from her cuts. The tea had also made her drowsy and she fell asleep almost before he could carry her to bed. Sleep was eluding Frodo. He just lay there, listening to Linwe’s soft breathing and for the sounds of Rosie and Sam returning home. It felt late in the night, but Frodo could see by the clock on the mantle that it really wasn’t late after all.

Restless, Frodo got out of bed and padded off to his study. There he stirred up the cooling embers of the fire and settled onto the sofa to read. He took up a book he and Linwe had been reading earlier that day. He opened up and then let it sit in his lap unread. His eyes drifted towards the fire, he stared into the flames and tried not to think.

~~~~~

"We are home and it looks a though Frodo may still be up in his study." Sam said as he and Rosie came up to the gate in front of Bag End, finally returning from a long day out.

"I’m surprised. It seems rather late." Rosie said with a yawn.

"He is probably waiting up for us. You go onto bed I will look in on Mr. Frodo and let him know that we are home again."

Sam made his way quietly down the hallway, towards Frodo’s study, so as not to disturb the stillness of the hobbit hole. He found the door to Frodo’s study halfway open. He knocked softly then pushed it open the rest of the way. There was Frodo sitting on the sofa gazing into the dancing flame, apparently unaware of Sam’s presence. Sam could feel that something was amiss. "Mr. Frodo?" Frodo did not answer he just continued staring into the flames. Sam looked closely at Frodo and thought his friend looked pale, and his eyes had a sort of haunted quality to them. Sam crossed the room and came to a stand in front of Frodo, with one hand he reached out and laid a hand on Frodo’s shoulder. "What is the matter, Mr. Frodo?"

This time Frodo answered his voice sounding somehow distant. "I am wounded." He answered, "wounded; it will never heal."

Then almost before Sam could blink once, the features on Frodo’s face softened. He looked up and smiled at Sam, "Hullo, Sam. Did you and Rosie enjoy your day out?"

Sam talked with Frodo for a few minutes. Frodo did not say anything to Sam about the troubling day, but with one exception. He told Sam that Linwe had accidentally dropped a glass bottle and had then stepped on the shards of glass.

It was not until the next morning when Sam told Rosie what happened in Frodo’s study that he remembered that the day before had been October sixth. Two years before on that date Frodo had been stabbed by the Nazgul King on Weathertop. in it’s hand a long blade and the blade was raised to strike.

Chapter Thirty-one

Linwe sat with her leaning against Frodo who sat with his back resting up against one of the trees Sam had just planted the previous spring. The tree, which was not much more than a sapling when Sam had planted it, was now of a respectable size for a young shade tree thanks to the gift Sam had been given by Galadriel. This particular tree was growing a short distance from the back entrance of Bag End, which also happened to be near Frodo and Linwe’s room, making it a convenient place for Frodo to carry Linwe, four days after she ran across shattered glass.

Rosie did not hear of Linwe’s accident until the morning after. Upon hearing of the incident, Rosie immediately went to examine Linwe’s feet herself. Rosie’s initial concern grew towards alarm when she came into Frodo and Linwe’s room and found the large drops and smears of dried blood that still marked a trail through the bedroom. Linwe soon wished the time had been taken the night before to clean up the floor. Anxious to see the true extent of Linwe’s injuries Rosie soon had the bandages unwound and lying in small heap on the floor. "Sam, go fetch Healer Burrows. Tell him we need him here right away if not sooner."

"Yes, dear. I will be right back."

"No, Sam, there is no need to rush." retorted Linwe.

"Hush, Linwe. I am giving the orders this time. Now you have several shards of glass still stuck in your feet. They are already starting to look infected. What were you thinking not having these treated last night? Frodo should have gone for the healer or even my mother. At the very least he could have told me of this last night. The glass should have been removed as soon as possible. Several of those cuts need to be stitched closed." Sam quickly left recognizing that his wife was working herself into giving Frodo and Linwe a thorough scolding and did not want the scolding to include him. "Linwe, with all of your experience nursing wounds and assisting Healer Burrows, you should have had sense enough to send Frodo out for help. And, Frodo, with all of the cuts and wounds you have seen Merry and Pippin get stitched as they were growing up you ought to have known better yourself. I have seen Hobbits in their teens behave more responsibly than you two have."

Healer Burrows said very little as he examined then treated Linwe’s feet. He did not have to. A few dark looks towards Frodo and Linwe were enough to express his disappointment with the pair. However the healer could not remain totally silent. "Mrs. Baggins, you have made the mistake that many healers have, of accessing your own injuries and thus incorrectly determining their severity. Healers, perhaps more than anyone else, should always seek medical attention in the event of injury or illness. Now you are to stay off your feet for the next seven days. Not for even the briefest moment are you to stand on them."

In the course of the morning Linwe had to explain many times over why she had run across the glass in such a rush. She said that she heard Frodo call out in alarm and she dropped the bottle and ran into their room to find he had dozed off by the fire and had been having a dream, neatly managing to keep anyone from guessing that there was anything at all unusual about the incident.

The first few days of Linwe’s strictly enforced confinement had been of little concern to her. Her badly cut and bruised feet were sensitive and the bandages that were bound tightly about them caused her feet to constantly ache. Linwe was given regular doses of herbal medicine to relieve her pain. This had the added side effect of keeping her asleep most of them time. By the fourth day, Linwe’s feet were not aching as much so she was not taking as much of the medicine, however she became restless from being indoors so long. With Rosie’s permission and under her close supervision, Frodo carried Linwe out into the garden, carefully depositing her on a quilt beneath Sam’s young shade tree.

"This reminds me of when I was a little girl," Linwe said with a sigh of content. She and Frodo had just finished having lunch and were sitting quietly watching the colorful autumn leaves drift lazily to the ground. "I wonder how many days Merenwen spent like this. It makes me wish she were here now and that we could go roaming about in the wilds all morning then spend the afternoon lazing under a tree, as we used to."

Frodo leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes. "You seemed to have lived the childhood of a lad. I thought the only thing girls played at was dolls and pretending they were wives and mothers. At least that was all Pearl was interested in when I would go to Whitwell to visit. I used to hate going there because I knew that inevitably she would try to put ribbons in my hair."

"I can understand that. A pale blue bow to match your eyes would look lovely in your dark hair." said Linwe mischievously.

"Now you are starting to sound like a normal girl."

"I thought you liked my soft girlishness."

"Don’t get me wrong, I do. If for no other reason than because you smell nice. Lasses almost always smell nice, I have noticed. My mother used to tell me that lads always seem to smell ever so slightly like they need a bath, even when they have just had one. I remembered when Merry and Pippin were little, and found it was true. Merry and Pippin could get a through scrubbing at the hands of their mother’s and half an hour later smell as though they had been out all day playing. Pippin’s sisters though, always smelled sweet and clean. One thing that I have always liked about you is that I have often thought if we had met as children you would have been the one girl I would not have minded spending time with because from what you have told me, you liked doing many of the same sorts of things that I liked to do. You would not likely have ever tried to put a ribbon in my hair because you yourself can barely stand to have your hair tied up in braids and bows."

"I am not so certain that you would have found my idea of exploring all that entertaining. You were always looking for adventure; Merenwen and I were looking for plants. I think it was all still quite tame and girlish."

"I suppose it was," conceded Frodo, "but still, I think I would have liked spending my days in just the same way."

"Mmm, perhaps so," Linwe said a bit sleepily. Several moments passed in silence. Frodo had started to think that maybe Linwe had dozed off when he heard her start to hum quietly. The melody of the tune tickled the edge of his memory. When Linwe had hummed her way through once she started to sing softly. Frodo never tired of hearing Linwe sing. She had a light rather delicate singing voice. It was not suited for singing in front of large gatherings, but rather for quiet moments such as this. With his head tilted back against the tree and his eyes closed, Frodo listened to the elvish song she sang. A soft breeze that blew lightly across his face as Linwe’s gentle voice started to lull him into a doze. Thoughts in his head began to drift about in a sort of dream like way seeming to look for the perfect image to settle on. After a few moments his mind came to rest on the blurry image of a cheerful comforting fire, the smell of warm bread and the sound of a voice singing Linwe’s song. The dream voice sang softly, barely above a whisper. Somewhat startled Frodo opened his eyes. "I have heard you sing that song before." He said thoughtfully after the last notes drifted past her lips.

Linwe thought for a moment then said "Yes, you have. It has been awhile, the last time I sang it was in March when you were not feeling well. As I recall I sang it over and over to you that night."

"Yes you did, it kept the darkness at bay, but that isn’t the time that I am remembering." Linwe turned slightly and looked up at Frodo and saw he had a rather puzzled look on his face as he concentrated on the memory. When he spoke his voice had a distant quality to it. "You were not singing it to me;

Linwe turned her body so she would snuggle in closer to him. "Yes, I believe you must have."

Frodo and Linwe sat silently for a while and watched a small whirl wind stir the leaves in its path.

"What was it like for you?" Frodo asked quietly.

"What was what like?" Linwe asked lazily. you were singing it to yourself. We were not together. I was in Mordor with Sam. We had stopped and were huddling in a stone crevice trying to get some rest. I didn’t like going to sleep because that was when the muttering of the ring would be loudest. But that night as Sam and I huddled against one another trying to stay warm, the most comforting image came to me. It was blurry, as thought I were looking through half closed eyes, but there was a warm cheery fire before me, then oddly enough I could smell the fragrance of warm bread as though I were there, wherever ‘there’ was. Then I heard a voice, it felt and sounded as though it was coming from within me, but I knew it wasn’t. For moment I felt as though I was home again and I was safe. I held onto that image as long as I could I used it to block out the whisperings of that dreaded ring. It was you I heard wasn’t it? For a short while my thought was with you."

"Those months when I was on the quest. You have not really spoken of it since we were married. How much did you see and feel?"

"Do you really want to hear this now?" Linwe’s voice was filled with reluctance.

"I think now is the best time to hear it. Now while we are surrounded by warmth and sunlight."

Linwe sighed and took Frodo’s hand and pulled his arm so that he held her more tightly. "All right then. I suppose it started some days before you came to Bree. I remember feeling nervous; I was startled every time someone would enter the room I was in or by every small noise in the woods. Then the night you came to Bree I felt fearful, though I could not tell what I was afraid of. That night I had nightmares of ghostly figures lurking near me like they were looking for me. The next day, Father went into town and heard the story of what had happened the night before, at the Prancing Pony. It seemed a shadow had settled over the town a year or more before. Travelers had come with odd tails of monsters hunting men. Strange men came to Bree and stayed, evil men who for no reason we knew then were bent on being cruel to Hobbits, calling us rats and vermin. In that year many of our neighbors had packed up and moved down into the Shire. Papa wanted to leave early on, but he needed to sell our home in order to have the money to get us into a new home here. Of course we could have gone to Brandy Hall anytime we wished, but Papa was to proud to write to Saradoc and tell him that we needed refuge. Papa was always did his best to show that he was worthy of having taken a Brandybuck daughter for a wife. Papa was the only one who ever truly doubted that he was good enough for mummy.

Mother did what Papa could not, she wrote to tell Saradoc and Esmeralda that Bree was just no longer safe for decent Hobbits. She did this without telling Papa. Within a week an answer came in the form of a letter from Saradoc to Papa. Saradoc said he feared for all of our safety and insisted that Papa bring us to Brandy Hall stay until Papa could get us settled else where. The arrangements were made for some of the Brandybucks to come with wagons and move us to Buckland. We had less than a week left to stay in Bree when you, Sam, Merry and Pippin came into town. You, Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Strider could not have been more than a half hour away from the Prancing Pony when Papa showed up there and heard the whole tale of what all had passed the night before. The appearance of the dark riders and the destruction of your rooms, that the lot of you had barely escaped, were more than enough to make Papa decide that we must leave Bree even sooner.

"I was exhausted that day from my night of haunting dreams. When Papa came home and announced that we would be leaving at dawn the following morning, I was relieved. The thought of being in Buckland felt safe to me. The sense of safety was short lived. No sooner had we got to Brandy Hall I started feeling nervous and fearful again. I had this sense that something was coming after me. One evening the sense of danger, drawing near, was intense. I went to my room telling Mother I had a head ache. I did not want her and Father seeing how agitated I was when I could not explain to them why. After going into my room I have very little memory. I remember a vague sense of absolute fear for my life, I think pain, and then everything went dark. I woke up a little over a fortnight later. When I woke up I told no one of what I had experienced."

"Anxiety had become a constant emotion for me. After my first illness I came to believe that much of the anxiety I lived with was for my mother, at least that is what I kept telling myself. Part of knew there was more to it than that but I refused to face that. My Mother was my primary concern at that point. She had developed a bad cough while I had been sleeping all those days. Esme and I tried all kinds of things to make her well, but nothing worked. We were able to make her feel a bit better, and at first we had hope that if we could just keep her from getting any worse. Our hope was that in the spring when things were warm the congestion in her chest would dry out. However by Yule we knew she was gradually weakening, despite our best efforts. I wanted to go in search of Merenwen. It was Merenwen who had taught me all that I know of healing, but all I knew was what herbs could be used in treatment. Merenwen of course knows so much more than I do, I was certain she could have made a difference. But we had not seen her in nearly a year, and I believed she was in Rivendell, surely she had not left to go West without saying goodbye. I was convinced that I could start heading in that direction and leave certain marks along the way telling passing rangers I where I was going. I thought that very soon one of them would come looking for me and then could help me the rest of the way. Mother would not allow it though. She told me that if I attempted to make that journey then she would most likely die with worry for me. It was a terrible position to be in; no matter what I did my mother would die."

Linwe sighed deeply then bit her lower lip in an effort to hold back tears. Frodo remained still, allowing her the moment to compose herself. "In late December I started having frightening nightmares. I think the most frightening part of them was that they felt so real. I could have easily believed the events of the dreams were actually happening to me. One night I felt as though I would freeze to death or smother. I started to feel as though I were wearing something heavy around my neck. Soon I was having flashes of memories flicker through my mind, but I knew they were not my memories. I did not understand what I was seeing and feeling and I had no one to talk to about any of it. I did my best to hide all of that from everyone one around me. My mother was not so easily fooled. She knew something other than her health was bothering me and she asked about it, but I refused to tell her. I think it was the day she asked me about my troubles that I collapsed in her room. I was unconscious for nearly a day, but this time when I woke up I remembered more. I remember feeling I was running through darkness and being chased by fire. Then I remember a sense of sudden and profound loss. I heard a voice coming from within me crying out ‘No’ and being dimly aware it was not mine.

"When I woke up I told everyone that I did not remember what had happened. Soon after that everything Esme and I did for Mummy was having no effect. She wasted away so quickly after that. Papa and Mummy loved each other so much. When it became obvious that we were losing Mummy then Papa started to give up too. I came to believe that the weight I felt hanging about my neck and increasing everyday was my own grief."

Linwe paused again to gather her thoughts. Not far a way a sparrow was packing in the dirt of an empty flower bed, looking for seeds and worms. "I felt so lonely after Mummy and Papa passed. I took to roaming around Buckland by myself. I did not appreciate it at the time, but going about on my own did not sit well with Saradoc, at all. Big folk were lurking about the Shire and Saradoc was afraid I would be found alone and they would hurt me."

"Why ever did he allow you out by yourself?" demanded Frodo, Linwe could feel his growing outrage. "I would think Saradoc would know better."

"He did know better. He sent Hobbits out to follow me and keep watch."

"You should have been kept home. As I understand it the big folk were not just lurking about, but had taken over at that point. Letting you go out like that was dangerous."

"Maybe I was in some danger but not as much as you think. I was well aware of what was going on in the rest of the Shire, I also know as well as the next Hobbit how not to be seen. I think I even know more. I used to play Hide and Seek with an elf, remember. If I can successfully hide from Merenwen then I could most certainly hide from loud blundering humans."

"I suppose so, but I still do not understand why Saradoc would have let you go off on your own like that."

"Because Esme convinced him that I would be well enough. Remember, at that point the only person in all of the world who knew of my ‘lost spells’ was Esme. Being a Took she has a fair understanding of some of the eccentricities that can come over a Hobbit. She knew I was grieving, I was lonely, but she could tell that on top of everything else, something more was troubling me. Esme understood that the best thing for me was to let me go off by myself. Now, shall I go on with my tale now, or would you like to scold me more?"

"Go on, I will save the scolding for later."

"All right then, one day towards the middle of March I was sitting in a favorite spot of mine when Merenwen came upon me. I had not felt such relieved in so long. She and I stayed sitting all day in that spot and talking, and the next day I met her there again. I told her everything, the loss of my parents, the nightmares, visions and the growing weight I felt hanging about my neck. That was when she told me that she believed she may have accidentally made me a little bit elvish with what she had done to ensure that I would be born healthy. She told me then that she believed I was seeing events of other places or what was happening to another person, but she said she could not tell me who. I assumed that when she said she could not that it meant she did not know who or what. It would be a year later that I would find out that I assumed wrong. Merenwen guessed by what I told her that it was what was happening to you that I was seeing and feeling. But she truthfully could not tell me. If the enemy had found out, then it was possible that I could have been used to stop you and hurt you.

"At the end of the second day of Merenwen’s visit, I was getting ready to go back to Brandy Hall when once more I found myself falling. One instant I was in that lovely spot with Merenwen, the next instant I was somewhere dark, and I felt a sharp burning pain in my neck. My memories over the next ten to twelve days are very muddled, I hardly ever knew where I was. In fact as each day passed I became less aware of my actual surroundings. At that point it was as though I was trapped in the thoughts of another. I was trapped. I do not remember clearly your final struggle, but I remember watching and feeling helpless. I wanted so much to help you. I did not know who you were but I knew you were fighting against something terrible. I could feel you weakening and I cried because there was nothing I could do for you. That was the last thing I remember clearly. I guess at that point you succumbed to the ring. I woke up some time later and knew that everything was all right again."

Tears now slid freely down Linwe’s cheeks as she remembered all of the pain of the past. "That is all there is. After that I was kept busy doing what I could to help everyone get by under the tyrannical rule of first Lotho then Sharkey. I had occasional nightmares after that, but nothing as strong as what I had experienced before." Frodo’s heart ached for Linwe and all that she had been through. Unable to find the words to express his deeply felt grief for her, he gathered her securely into his arms and held her as she cried out long suppressed tears and heart ache.

Chapter Thirty-two

"Do you think they will have a boy or a girl?" Linwe asked Frodo from where she stood by their bed combing her hair.

"I am not sure but I would imagine it would be one or the other." replied Frodo, who was sitting in a chair by the fire. He had his lap desk resting on his knees and was busily sketching on a piece of paper.

"But don’t you want to make a guess?" persisted Linwe.

"Sam and Rosie are going to have a baby. I suppose that is all that really matters to me, that and I hope that it will be healthy. I am sure I will like it which ever it is." Frodo turned his gaze back to what he was working on.

"That isn’t the point, dear."

"Enlighten me, my love, what is the point?" he asked without bothering to look up again.

"The point is that trying to guess whether the baby will be a boy or girl is often considered to be a pleasant diversion."

"Then by all means divert yourself, my dear, make all of the guesses you like."

"But it isn’t fun by myself!" Linwe protested.

"Then I will guess they are having a boy." Frodo said with a quick glance and smile towards Linwe. She got a brief glimpse of dimples as well before he went back to sketching.

Linwe sighed and just stood watching for a while as she continued to pull the comb through her hair. After a moment she walked across the room and came to stand next to Frodo’s chair. "What is it that has such a tight hold on your attention?" She asked while trying to see over his shoulder.

"I am trying to sketch the lay out of Bag End. Bilbo once told me that when his father built the place he had planned on the possibility of one day needing to add onto the hole. Bungo had hopes that one day Bag End would be to the Baggins family what Brandy Hall and Great Smials is to the Brandybucks and Tooks. I was thinking the time has come to make some of the additions he planned for, we can have a proper nursery put in by Sam and Rosie’s room."

"That would be nice," Linwe said absently.

"The four of us can discuss it tomorrow and sort out how much we might want to add and where."

"It sounds lovely." Linwe said with a sigh.

Frodo looked up at his wife, a slight frown creasing his brow, and causing his eyebrows to pull together and curl upwards over his nose. "Do I hear a hint of sadness in that sigh?"

Linwe shook her head. "No you don’t, I am fine."

"I am not convinced," said Frodo. He picked up his lap desk and set it on the floor next to his chair. He then turned to Linwe took one of her hands and pulled her down so that she was sitting on his lap. "Now, try to tell me again that everything is just fine."

Linwe smiled, "Everything is just fine."

"I don’t believe you?"

"Why not?"

"Because when you are unhappy or troubled by something your eyes tend to turn a more stormy gray. How you manage that I do not know. Now tell me what is bothering you?"

Linwe snuggled down until her head was on Frodo’s shoulder. "Merenwen explained the reasons for the changes in my eye color to me once. She said it had to do with the way moods effect the flow of our blood and body temperature. My eyes show more dramatic changes because my eyes are hazel." She said and nuzzled his neck.

"That is interesting. Now that you have been so kind to explain that to me, shall we go back to the original discussion?"

"Oh, are you ready to make a guess on whether the baby will be a boy or a girl?" Linwe asked brightly.

"Linwe! You know that is not what I meant. Now why are you evading the question? Why can’t you just tell me what is --

"I am being honest. There is nothing bothering me," asserted Linwe while keeping her face averted as much as possible from Frodo’s view.

"You are not being honest with me. I know you too well, so you might as well at least admit that something troubles you."

Linwe sighed extravagantly, "Very well, there is something troubling me."

"What is it?" urged Frodo.

"I am troubled by the fact that you will not be still and cease to badger me with all of these questions and accusations. Now if you don’t mind I would like to sit here quietly for awhile."

Frodo chuckled, "Have your secrets then. It is obvious I am not going to win this argument with you," Frodo then kissed Linwe affectionately on the forehead.

They sat peacefully listening to the sounds of the crackle of the fire and the ticking of the clock on the mantel. Frodo lazily twined one of Linwe’s curls around his fingers, letting the silky tress caress the remains of his missing finger. He smiled to himself and thought, Linwe always preferred to hold that hand rather than his whole one. At that moment Frodo felt like he was the luckiest Hobbit in all of Middle Earth.

A year ago that day, he and his friends had arrived in Bree on their way home after their entire long journey. Very little of their homecoming had been as Frodo had expected. Frodo was now sorry that necessity had prevented them from going straight onto Brandy Hall when they first entered Buckland. Frodo would have liked meeting Linwe several days earlier and thus having her in his life that much longer. But then it was most likely best that they hadn’t. Linwe would likely have insisted on traveling on with them, and Frodo did not like to think of what harm could have come to her if she had.

Very little of the past year had gone the way Frodo had expected it to. If on that night in Bree, someone had told him that in one years time he would be sitting in his own room at Bag End in front of his own fire, with his own sweet wife curled up on his lap, the summer-like smell of her filling his every breath, he would not have believed it, not for all the gold in Lonely Mountain.

The only part of the year that went according to Frodo’s expectations was Sam marrying Rosie and moving into Bag End with him. Now the old Hobbit hole was to be blessed with only the second baby to be born within its comforting walls. Frodo sighed and thought to himself ‘if only…’ but the thought was interrupted by a flash of insight and Frodo’s eyes widened in sudden understanding. "Dearest?"

"Mmmm Yes?" came Linwe’s muffled reply, her face was still nestled firmly beneath his chin.

"Would you by any chance be bothered that we ourselves are not yet expecting," Frodo felt Linwe stiffen a little. He guessed her eyes were likely wide open and bright with threatening tears. His guess was right. "Linwe, our turn will come."

"Not soon enough." He heard her say quietly.

"And when would ‘soon enough’ be?"

"That night when I came in here when you were having that dreadful nightmare, just before we were married. If I had it my way I should be sitting here with a great round tummy getting in the way, and coming close to my due date," Linwe said petulantly.

Frodo Chuckled, "I’m sorry things have not progressed as you would have liked, but I am sure we will not have to wait much longer."

Linwe sat up so that she could look Frodo in the eye. "How much longer can we wait? Do you realize that most Hobbits our age have already left off with having children?"

"I suppose so, unless they are Bracegirdles."

"You are making fun of me. I don’t think you take me seriously," Linwe accused.

"Yes dear, I do take you seriously. And I want us to have children as much as you do. After all we do have thirty-seven names…"

"Thirty-nine" corrected Linwe

"Thirty-nine names picked out. If the children don’t start coming soon we will still be having them when we reach one hundred years old. I for one would hope that by then our daughter will be married to Sam and Rosie’s son and it would be our grand child we were all clambering to hold. I think we should consider giving our children two names each, as you have, then we need not worry about where we will find the time to have so many. Having two names seems to have not harmed you, my Linwe Taralom, so I am sure it will not hurt our children either."

"That is a good thought," agree Linwe feeling more cheerful. "and if we can manage one a year for the next twenty then by the time we are about one hundred-five years old then we should be seeing our youngest come of age."

"There we are, that isn’t so terribly old. Now, going back to the original discussion. I would like to suggest that if you do find it hard to bear to live in close quarters with Rosie and Sam as they are awaiting the arrival of their baby and going about making all of the necessary preparations, then we could leave for a while, and go to Buckland to stay in our little cottage in the woods."

"That will not be necessary. I was feeling a little sorry for myself is all. I would not dream of missing a moment of this time. I would feel we were abandoning Rosie and Sam. Besides if we leave them alone, Sam will not bother with seeing that the new addition is made. He will insist that he and Rosie have more than enough space for ten babies in their room."

"You are right about that," chuckled Frodo "I am glad we are staying then. Besides, I am sure that by Yule, we will be watching you grow rounder by the day as well. Sam and I will exhaust ourselves worrying over you and Rosie."

~~~~~

Frodo took a breath and felt the ash filled air burn his throat. Shards of rocked tore the skin on his hands and knees as he clawed his way upwards.

The voice

Would he never be free of the mutterings of that wretched voice?

"Sam, help me!" Sam did not answer. Sam was not with him.

Frodo tried to peer ahead through the falling ash. There was a figure up ahead. He reached out imploringly with one hand. "Help me. I can not do this alone."

The figure moved towards Frodo, looming higher and higher above him as it moved closer. Frodo craned his neck trying to look up at the now immensely large figure. It was wearing armor, there was a red gleam where eyes would be. Frodo felt himself start to quake in fear. "No! Please No!" The figure silently raised a large black sword, bringing it down and around in a fast silent stroke aiming for Frodo’s neck. Frodo screamed. "NO!"

"Frodo! Wake up!"

Frodo’s eyes flew open. He was breathing heavily, he could feel a cold sweat trickling from his forehead into his hair. Linwe was sitting up next to him, her hand resting on his chest. Even in the late night darkness of the room he could tell that her eyes were filled with worry. He took her hand into his own, "I’m all right. It was only a bad dream." He tried to smile at her reassuringly and failed.

"I noticed. Can you get back to sleep or would you like a cup of warm milk?"

Frodo could still feel himself shaking in the aftermath of the nightmare. "I think a cup of warm milk would be helpful. But I will get up and get it myself, you go back to sleep."

"No, I am awake and will not be able to sleep again until you are settled in once more. Now your night shirt is damp with sweat, you get up and change and I will go to the kitchen and fix you your milk."

Twenty minutes later Frodo and Linwe were sitting before the fireplace in the kitchen, watching the dancing flames of a small fire and sipping from slightly steaming mugs. "Do you want to talk about it?" Linwe asked quietly.

"No, not right now." Frodo replied, just as quietly.

Linwe was not surprised. Every night that he had a nightmare, she asked if he wanted to tell her and the answer was always the same. Linwe did not press further. She knew that a time would come for him to tell. For now she could only wait, watch, and love.

~~~~~

Linwe and Rosie walked arm and arm in the thin November sunlight. They were off to shop, one of their favorite past times. This time they shopped with a purpose. Rosie and Sam’s baby would need clothing and linens and the two Hobbitesses wanted to get an early start on making them.

"Linwe, when I went into the kitchen this morning, I noticed that there were two mugs sitting in the sink, with the dredges of milk and nutmeg still in them. I believe that is your favorite remedy for sleeplessness, is it not?"

Linwe kept her eyes turned from Rosie’s. "It is." She replied simply.

"Is everything all right?" persisted Rosie.

"Everything is fine. Frodo woke up in the night and could not get back to sleep. There is nothing to worry about." Linwe smiled at Rosie, but turned her glance away before Rosie could look too deeply in her eyes.

"Linwe, this is not the first morning I have found mugs sitting in the sink, in the morning. I have been finding them at least twice a week every week for about a month now. It has been my experience that when someone is having that much trouble sleeping, they are fretting over something. I don’t suppose you would care to tell me what it is?"

Linwe sighed, "Frodo has been having nightmares, that is all. It really isn’t anything to worry over."

"What are his nightmares about?"

"The quest, as always."

"Ah yes, I should have guessed as much. But Linwe, is Frodo having more of a problem with them or has he just taken to having late night mugs of warm milk?"

Linwe didn’t say anything at first, but then sighed, what was the point in having a friend if you couldn’t tell them what was wrong. "I guess it is a little bit of both. It does seem that he has been having more of them lately."

"Do you think there is reason to be concerned?"

"Maybe there isn’t but I will admit that I am. Most Hobbits have not seen the horrors that Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin have. Now they revisit those horrors at night, in their sleep," Linwe sighed deeply, "I suppose all that we can do is continue on as we are, making the best of it."

"I believe you are right, dear," agreed Rosie. Linwe did not notice the long speculative look Rosie gave her.

Chapter Thirty-three

Linwe sat listlessly stirring the porridge in her bowl while gazing out the window to the dreary day beyond. It was five days after Yule. Freezing rain was hissing down out doors, coating everything in ice. Linwe sniffed and sighed, "I suppose that with this weather being so miserable, I should leave early to visit Mrs. Hornblower today."

Frodo swallowed a mouthful of porridge and turned to look at Linwe, his eyes wide and his brows curling up in a frown. "You can’t seriously be planning on going out in that."

"Of course I am," replied Linwe as though it should be obvious.

"I don’t think you should go out at all. This rain shows no sign of letting up anytime soon and there is already a thick coating of ice on everything out there. You will be doing well if you can make it to the front gate without falling," argued Frodo.

"I have no choice in the matter, Frodo. I promised Healer Burrows that while he was visiting his daughter, I would keep an eye on Mrs. Hornblower."

"Yes, and you also came home yesterday with the news that she is much improved

Linwe’s eyes shifted to a cold hard gray.  When she spoke her voice was steely.  "I promised I would go everyday and that is exactly what I intend to do," insisted Linwe, punctuating he remark with a deep caugh.

"Linwe, you are not feeling well yourself. I can not allow you to go out there. It will take you twice as long as usual to walk to the Hornblower farm. You will be soaking wet and chilled to the bone by the time you get there."

"Then I will hitch Strider up to the pony cart and drive over." retorted Linwe.

"That is a wonderful idea," Frodo said with heavy sarcasm, "It will be so comforting to me knowing that you had Strider to keep you company when you die of a broken neck, after the cart has gone sliding down Daisy Hill and you have been thrown out of it head first." Frodo’s blue eyes were now cold and hard as well.

Linwe turned to Sam, who along with Rosie, had stayed silent through this exchange. "Sam, tell Frodo that I will be perfectly fine. He will listen to you."

Sam looked Linwe in the eye, his gaze stern, "I will tell him no such thing."

"But Sam…"

"Frodo is right. You should not be out on a day like this, unless it is an emergency."

"Rosie, you understand don’t you?" pleaded Linwe.

"I’m sorry, dear, but I agree with Frodo and Sam. You have a cough, your nose is stuffy and you have barely touched your breakfast. You are obviously not feeling well yourself. I think it would be better if you stayed home preferably resting by a warm fire or in bed."

Linwe’s shoulders drooped in defeat. All they said was true, and she had not the energy to argue with all three of them. However she still felt obligated to go see Mrs. Hornblower. Linwe kept her eyes on her bowl. She ate a few small bites of her breakfast and then with a show of weariness excused herself from the table.

Frodo started to go after her but was stopped by Rosie. "Let her go, Frodo."

"I don’t know, I think I was too hard on her," he said, his eyes filled with worry.

"No you were not. None of us was. Linwe’s problem is that she has seldom been told ‘no’," said Rosie.

Frodo glared at Rosie, "You make her sound like a spoiled child."

Rosie ignored his glare, "She is a spoiled child! And highly manipulative. Fortunately for her and for everyone around her she is also sweet, and generous to a fault. In all, Linwe is one of the most loving people I have ever met."

"How can you say she is manipulative? How can you talk about her like that, the two of you are like sisters."

"It is because we are like sisters that I can say such things. I love her, Frodo, maybe not as much as you but I love her very deeply. Further more I choose to love her for who she truly is. Linwe is manipulative, but not cruelly so. She never uses her ability to serve herself, only for someone else’s benefit. Now she has been denied the chance of risking her own health for the sake of looking after someone else, and that is not the sort of thing to sit lightly with her. Just let Linwe have some time to herself, I am guessing in about fifteen minutes we will find her asleep by the fire, knitting still in hand."

~~~~~

Frodo got up from his chair stretched then shivered. He had spent the morning working on his part of Bilbo’s book. Dark memories threatened to engulf him. He felt cold. The last few hours he had been unable to stay warm. The fire in his fire place was kept blazing, and he wrapped a woolen blanket around his shoulders. Suddenly he wished Linwe were sitting with him, but true to Rosie’s words Linwe had been found sound asleep in their bed not long after breakfast. He looked at the clock and saw it was nearing eleven in the morning. "I should go see if Linwe is up yet. Surely she has not been napping all this time," he thought to himself.

Across the hall from his study was Frodo’s and Linwe’s bedroom. Frodo found the room to be rather dark and chilly. The fire had burned down to smoldering coals and there were no candles lit. What light there was came from the window and the gloomy day beyond. Frodo walked towards the bed and called out softly, "Linwe, are you awake?" There was no answer. Coming next to the bed he saw that it was empty. "I guess that answers that question." Frodo shivered again, feeling uneasy. ‘It is just the memories, nothing more,’ He told himself, ‘I will just go have a something to eat with the others and the rest of the day can be spent with Linwe.’

In the kitchen Sam was serving Rosie up some soup, the delicious aroma reminded Frodo that he had forgotten to have his usual tea and toast for second breakfast. "There you are," greeted Sam, "I was just about ready to come looking for you to see if you were hungry. Is Linwe coming or is she still sleeping?"

Frodo stopped short. "I thought she was with you."

"No she isn’t, Rosie and I have been in here all morning, I’ve been whittling and Rosie’s been knitting. Rosie went to look in on Linwe about two hours ago and said she was in bed, sound asleep. We have not seen her since."

Frodo’s uneasiness started rise up into a wave of fear. "She isn’t there now."

"Well she must be here somewhere," said Rosie "did you look in your bathroom?"

"She wasn’t there, the door was open."

"Then maybe she is back in one of the store rooms. She said something the other day about wanting to organize the herb pantry a bit better."

Frodo looked out the window into the dismal landscape beyond. As he watched the freezing rain pelt down, he shivered again. ‘Why can’t I get warm? I feel as though I am outdoors.’ Then he felt his heart sink as he came to understand. "Oh no! Not that!"

"What is it Mr. Frodo?"

"She’s left. She went to the Hornblower’s. I have to go out after her."

"She couldn’t have gone out, Mr. Frodo. Rosie and I have been sitting here all along and we would have seen her if she tried to leave," Sam said trying to reassure Frodo, but it was of no use. Frodo had already had gone through the kitchen, into the sitting room, on his way to the front door. Frodo faced the pegs where their cloaks were hung. There was an empty place where Linwe’s distinctive red cloak would have hung next to his own deep green one. Sam and Rosie had followed Frodo, they saw the empty peg. "I’ll go hitch Bill to the cart," Sam said grimly.

"I am going ahead, you can catch up with me," said Frodo as he threw his cloak about his shoulders.

Frodo gingerly stepped onto the ice that coated the front path, and slowly made his way down to the stair stepped path to the front gate. Once out he walked at the edge of the road in the spiky, ice coated grass, where his footing was a bit more secure than the open road. Even with taking this measure his progress was slow. Rain and sleet pelted down, getting past Frodo’s hood to sting his face. He trudged on, each minute feeling like an eternity. The ice cut his feet and the cold soon started to numb them making walking that much more difficult. Frodo had been walking for a quarter of an hour and had just come around a bend in the road when he spotted a familiar crimson clad form, lying at the road side. "Linwe!" cried Frodo. He tried to run towards her, slipping and sliding all the way. When he at last reached Linwe’s side, he fell to his knees. Her cloak was soaked through and ice had formed in many places. He gathered her into his arms and pushed her hood aside to reveal her face. Her skin was deathly pale and her lips were tinged with blue. On her throat he could barely see the faint throb of her pulse. "Oh Linwe" his words came out in horse whisper.

A minute later came the jangle of harness and the plod of hooves on the icy road. Frodo looked up and saw Sam coming with the cart. He carefully stood up with Linwe in his arms and started walking to meet Sam. "Is she all right?" asked Sam when he brought the cart to a halt.

"She fell and hit her head on a rock. She has been lying out here a long time and is very cold."

Frodo lifted the still and seemingly lifeless form up to Sam then climbed up and reclaimed her. "Hurry Sam, get us home as quickly as you can."

"I will, Mr. Frodo, I will."

~~~~~

Rosie stood in the sitting room, gazing out the window, waiting for the first appearance of the cart. She had the door open before Frodo could climb down from the cart seat. Before Sam left he had taken a moment to scatter salt and sand over the garden path, thanks to Sam’s foresight, Frodo was able to make his way from the cart to the door without falling and injuring Linwe further.

Rosie had only to look at Linwe to see what was needed. "Take her back to your bathroom." Frodo did as Rosie ordered without question. "Lay her on the hearth rug and get her out of that cloak." While Frodo did this, Rosie fetched a pair of scissors from Linwe’s work basket in the neighboring bedroom. "I am going to cut her out of her dress. We don’t have time to mess with all the buttons and laces. While I am doing this you start filling the tub. The quickest way to warm her will be to bathe her."

"But the only water we have to fill the tub with, is cold, we don’t have any heated." protested Frodo.

"Trust me Frodo. It will be warm enough to her. She has been lying in ice for who knows how long. To Linwe the water will feel warm. We have to bring her temperature up slowly."

When Sam came inside he found Rosie in the kitchen filling the cistern by the fire place, for heating water. "Is Linwe going to be all right?"

"To be perfectly honest, Sam, I don’t know. I am no healer, and I have never seen anyone so badly chilled. I am rather amazed that she is alive."

"Does she need a healer?"

"Maybe it would be best, but I don’t know who we could send for. The nearest one is probably in Tookborough." Rosie sighed, "The immediate need is to get Linwe warm. We can do that much on our own. Then we can decide if we need to send for a healer."

The next several hours were spent heating water and waiting. Frodo made sure that Linwe stayed sitting upright in the tub. Sam kept fires in the kitchen, the bathroom, and Frodo and Linwe’s bedroom, blazing, and cisterns and buckets filled with water and set close to the fires to heat the water. Every fifteen minutes Rosie would pour more hot water into the tub, gradually raising the temperature. About an hour after starting the process, Linwe stirred and opened her eyes. "Frodo?"

"I am here." He said, he reached into the water and took her hand, which still felt cool to the touch despite the gentle warmth of the water.

"Frodo, I’m cold." Linwe’s voice was barely louder than a whisper, but to hear her speak at all filled Frodo with relief and hope.

"I know dearest. We are warming you as quickly as we can." But Linwe did not hear him. She had already drifted back into unconsciousness.

By the end of the third hour the bath water was comfortably hot. Linwe’s deathly pallor was being replaced with a healthier pink glow. "I want to keep her soaking for at least an hour more." said Rosie, "I want to be sure she is thoroughly warmed through."

While waiting through that last hour, Frodo carefully washed out Linwe’s hair. There was a small cut on her temple from when she fell. Blood from the wound had matted up in her hair. By the time Frodo had finished drying her hair with warm towels, it was time to take Linwe out of her bath.

The bed had been warmed with heated bricks. Blankets, quilts, and towels were warming on a rack near the fire along with one of Linwe’s heaviest flannel nightdresses. Frodo lifted Linwe out of the water and laid her on a warmed blanket, near the fire. Rosie covered her with a towel and another blanket. Rosie and Frodo worked together to carefully dry Linwe, a small section of skin at a time, keeping her under the protective warmth of the quilt, and then rubbing heated oil into her skin. By the time Linwe was dressed and tucked snugly into bed, nearly four hours had passed since Frodo had found her lying on the road side. In all of that time she only stirred and spoke once.

It was a somber evening in Bag End that night. Sam made a simple dinner and served it to Rosie and Frodo in Frodo and Linwe’s bedroom. Then the three of them passed the time keeping a quiet watch until bed time. "We’ve done all we can for her." said Rosie, keeping a worried gaze on her sleeping friend, "She has had a terrible shock so I think she will likely sleep the night through."

Sam looked nervously at Linwe, "Why does she somehow seem so much smaller?

Rosie smiled, "She isn’t all that big to start with, and now we have her buried under so many quilts you can hardly tell if anything lies beneath."

Frodo sat on the edge of the bed. Rosie came around and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Do you want Sam or I to stay here with you tonight?"

Frodo looked up at her. She noticed there were dark smudges under her eyes. He tried to smile reassuringly, "No, you’ve done enough. I am sure the baby needs you to rest."

"Are you sure, Mr. Frodo, Rosie needs to sleep but I would be more than happy to stay up with you."

"No thank you Sam. I’ll be fine."

"I realize this is most likely pointless but I will say it anyway," said Rosie, "but you should try to make use of the cot Sam has set up for you. Linwe really doesn’t need you to watch her constantly through the night. This has been a long day for you too, Frodo. You should sleep while Linwe sleeps."

Frodo smiled wryly, "You are right, Rosie, that was pointless, but thank you for the advice and for having the cot set up just in case."

It was a long night. Frodo did his best to stay awake but dozed off in his chair just after midnight. Rosie and Sam each got up at least once in the night to come and look in on them. It was Sam who found Frodo asleep first. Sam crept into the room and stirred the fire up again to be sure the room stayed warm for Linwe. He thought about trying to move Frodo over to the cot, but decided against it. Frodo would likely just wake up, so Sam settled for covering Frodo’s shoulders with a blanket.

Not long after the night sky started to fade into day, Frodo woke up. He was briefly disappointed with himself for not having been able to stay awake through the night. He pushed that thought aside and the blanket that covered him as well and stood up. Linwe was still asleep. It looked as though she had barely moved during the night. Frodo reached out and touched her cheek. He found her skin clammy with perspiration and a little too warm to the touch. Frodo picked up the one lit candle from a near by table and held it so that he could get a better look at her face. Her cheeks looked a little bit more flushed than he thought they should be. He debated for a moment on going to go wake Sam and Rosie, but he looked out the window and saw that the day was coming and that Sam and Rosie would soon be up anyway. Frodo added more wood to the fire then headed down the dim passage to the kitchen where he gathered up bread, cheese, and things for tea.

When he returned to the bedroom he set down his tray and carried his small tea kettle off to the bathroom to fill it with water.

"Good morning."

Clank

"OW!" Frodo grabbed his toe that a full kettle had fallen on, and looked up. "Linwe! You’re awake! You surprised me."

Linwe smiled wanly, "Apparently so, are you hurt?"

Frodo did his best to not limp as he hurried over to the bed, "No I’m not. How do you feel?"

"My head hurts a little, and I feel weak. What happened?"

"You went to see Mrs. Hornblower yesterday without telling anyone. Do you remember?"

Linwe thought for a moment. "I don’t think I do."

"No matter. As I was saying, you left, but we don’t know when. I discovered you missing around eleven that morning. I went out to look for you and found you not very far from home. You had fallen and hit your head. You had been lying there a long time. Your cloak was soaked through, and ice was forming around your hood. Sam came with the cart about then and we got you home and warmed you up. You only woke up once though I doubt you remember."

Tears spilled down Linwe’s cheeks, "I’m so sorry."

Frodo pulled her into his arms, "Don’t cry, Love. Please don’t cry. Your home now and your safe, that is all that matters."

Linwe sniffed, pressed her face into Frodo’s neck and sighed. "I think I am too tired to cry anyway."

Frodo chuckled and pushed her gently back against the pillows, touched her cheek with the back of his fingers, and smiled. "You had quite a shock yesterday and I think you have a bit of a fever, so you will spend the day in bed."

"I will not argue with you today. Will you read to me?"

"I will do anything, so long as you will stay in bed."

There was a knock at the door followed by the appearance of Rosie. "Linwe, you’re awake," she said with a bright smile, "This is a welcome sight. How are you feeling, dear?"

Linwe spoke softly, "My head aches a bit, and feel quite tired, but that is all."

"I think she is a bit feverish." added Frodo.

"I am not surprised about the headache," said Rosie as she came to Linwe’s side, "you must have hit it pretty hard when you fell." Rosie laid her hand on Linwe’s forehead and scrutinized Linwe’s face closely. "You do feel a little feverish, but there does not appear to be much else wrong with you. I will fix you a cup of that tea you like for headaches. I seem to recall that you said it was good for mild fevers too. Can I bring you anything to eat?"

"No, I don’t think so. I believe I will just have the tea and then maybe go back to sleep."

Linwe slept most of the day. Every four hours the effects of the tea would wear off and her head ache and fever would return. Rosie wondered if they should send for a Healer, but everything outside was still icy, and Linwe seemed fine when she was awake. Surely all Linwe needed was rest.

The second day after Linwe’s fall passed the same as the first. Linwe ate very little when she was awake, usually just a bit of broth. She, would be awake for about ten minutes, just enough to drink another cup tea and drink a bit of broth. Her eyes would then drift closed once more. Frodo could not help but be worried. He stayed at Linwe’s bedside, dozing off in the chair while she slept. Sam and Rosie tried to convince him to lie down on the cot with assurances that one of them would always be with her (one of them was almost always in the room anyway) but Frodo refused. Early in the evening of the second day Linwe’s cough worsened. "I am sure it is nothing to worry about," said Rosie after Frodo had called her in, "She most likely just needs a change in position. I will have Sam bring in more pillows and then we can prop her up a bit."

Linwe’s cough troubled Rosie more than she would tell. She thought that after nearly two days of doing nothing more than sleep, Linwe would be showing significant signs of improvement. Instead she only seemed to be getting worse. Rosie decided that if Linwe was not doing any better by morning, then it would be time to send Sam to Tookborough or where ever he needed to go to find her a proper Healer.

One day later and Rosie would wish that she had not waited.

Chapter Thirty-four

Esmeralda sat at her dressing table, carefully winding her long silvery hair into a bun. She was in her old room at Great Smials. She, Saradoc, and Merry had all come to Tookborough for the Yule festivities. It had been a lovely holiday, Frodo, Linwe, Sam and Rosie had all come for a day. Esmeralda had not seen Linwe since the previous August and had missed her. Linwe and Frodo appeared to be happy and content with one another, but Esmeralda made sure she checked with Rosie, knowing that the observant Hobbitess would give her a truer sense of how Frodo and Linwe faired.

"You can rest assured they are happy," said Rosie in response to Esmeralda’s questions.

"Is there anything at all that gives you the least bit of concern?" pried Esmeralda.

"There is maybe one thing, now that you ask, though I don’t know that it is any real reason to worry."

"What is it?" prompted Esmeralda.

"Frodo is having night mares. At least three times a week, sometimes more. Linwe did not say anything at first. I only found out because there were mornings where I would find two used mugs sitting in the sink, with what looked like the dredges of warm milk with nutmeg inside. Since Linwe and Frodo said nothing of this I said nothing of it, I don’t wish to pry into their personal matters. However when it seemed to be a regular occurrence for an entire month I finally decided to ask Linwe."

"What did she say to you?"

"She told me of Frodo’s nightmares. They started in late September, not long after their birthday. Linwe said it was the time of year that brought the night mares on. The sites and smells reminded him of the autumn that he and the others left. I told Sam about it, and he admitted that he was having more too, but his do not seem as disturbing as Frodo’s apparently are."

"Does Linwe seem at all worried about this?" asked Esmeralda.

Rosie smiled, "Not at all. She does what she can for Frodo. She has experimented with different teas in hopes of inducing more peaceful dreams, and she cares for him when they come. For the most part she seems to just accept them as a small bother."

"If even half of what Merry has told me is true, I am not surprised that Frodo has nightmares. It sounds as though they are managing quite well though."

"Oh, but there is one thing I should mention. Linwe will not say much to me about it, but I know she is anxious to have a baby. She has only mentioned it to me once, but I know she is afraid that fifty-two is far too old to be hoping to get pregnant."

"Oh, that is nothing to worry about. But if I get an opportunity, I will have a talk with her about it."

Esmeralda never got a chance to talk to Linwe about it, during the Yule festivities, but she had kept the idea in mind and had every intention of paying a visit to Bag End so that they could have that discussion. Esmeralda wondered if she should see if she could get a message to Merenwen. Surely she would be the best to advise Linwe in the matter, that is if there was anything to be advised. Esmeralda could understand why Linwe would be concerned. Pretty much every new bride hoped to bear a child immediately, but it was not unusual for it to take six months or more just to conceive. Shy couples could take awhile, but by all Esmeralda had heard and seen, Frodo and Linwe had no problems showing their affection for one another. In fact they seemed to show it with near child-like abandon. Esmeralda smiled to herself. She remembered Rosie telling her of the day Sam had found Frodo and Linwe together in Frodo’s bed. A couple that was spending that sort of time together before they were married was likely even more active after. She and Saradoc most certainly had.

Esmeralda’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in."

The door was opened by Ivy, a sweet faced girl who worked as a maid in Great Smials. "I am sorry to disturb you ma’am but there is a lad that has just arrived from Hobbiton. He says his name is Nibs Cotton and that he has an urgent message for you from Bag End."

"Oh my, where is Nibs now, I will see him immediately."

"He is in the parlor just off the front entranceway."

Esmeralda rushed to the rarely used parlor. As she hurried along the winding passage from her room to the front entrance she wondered what could be so important that Rosie’s youngest brother would need to be sent as message carrier, rather than the usual post. Esmeralda knocked at the closed Parlor door out of habit then went inside. "Nibs Cotton, what brings you here in this cold weather at such an early hour?"

"Good Morning Mrs. Brandybuck. Sam sent me on account that me and my pony, Willow, can ride fast we have a mind too. Sam needed us here quick like. I have a message for you from Rosie." Nibs pulled a crumpled bit of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Esmeralda. "Sam says it’s about Miss Linwe, or Mrs. Baggins I guess I should say, anyway, Sam says she is sick and Healer Burrows is gone to visit his daughter. Miss Linwe, I mean Mrs. Baggins needs you."

"When did Sam give you this errand?"

"It was a few hours ago, I guess about three in the morning it was. He came banging and waking the whole house. My Brother Tom wanted to bring it but Sam said it had to be me on account that Willow and me could make it cross country in no time at all on a fine day. It took us a few minutes more since we were riding through at night and the ice being a might slick."

Even being faced with bad news about Linwe, Esmeralda could not help but smile at Nibs Cotton. Esmeralda learned from Rosie that the lad was better at snitching pies than doing his chores, and could tell the most incredible tales in such a way as to almost make one believe he was telling the truth, which he seldom was. "Thank you Nibs. You go on out in the hallway, you will find Ivy out there pretending she was not listening to all we said in here. She will show you to the dining room. You will find Merry and Pippin there, you may have breakfast with them."

"Thank you, ma’am. And if there is anything else I can do, just say so." Nibs started to blush, "I would do just about anything for Miss Linwe, I mean Mrs. Baggins. She’s real nice, and she always likes listening to my stories."

Esmeralda smiled, took Nibs hand and squeezed it. "Thank you, Nibs dear, now go along and find Merry and Pippin."

With the parlor to herself Esmeralda sat down to read Rosie’s letter.

Dear Esme,

I am afraid that I am writing to you with sad news and to ask for your help. About two days ago when we had that ice storm, Linwe left the hole against our wishes to go see Mrs. Hornblower. We all told her that it was too dangerous, but she had promised Healer Burrows to look after Mrs. Hornblower while he was away. We did not even know Linwe left until she had apparently been gone for several hours. She had not been feeling well so after early breakfast she had returned to bed. I noticed she has been tired lately, but she has been busy the last several weeks so I thought that was all there was to it. At about eleven in the morning Frodo came to the kitchen. Sam asked if Linwe was coming along and Frodo said he assumed that she was in the kitchen as she was no longer in their room. Frodo some how knew immediately that Linwe had left. That odd habit they have of knowing what is going on with the other, does have it’s advantages.

Frodo set out on foot to look for Linwe, Sam followed along with the pony cart. They found her just a little ways down the road. She had apparently slipped and fallen, hitting her head on a rock. We are not sure how long she lay there, but her cloak was soaked through and her dress was pretty wet as well. There was ice starting to form on her hood.

The lads got her home and we put her in the tub and started warming the water slowly so as not to hurt her. It took about three hours and she only woke up and spoke once in that time. She seemed to be doing well enough by the time we got her tucked into bed, I figured all she really needed was rest. Frodo decided to wait up at her bedside anyway. Sam and I both checked in later in the night and all seemed well. The next morning when I went in, Linwe was awake. She said she was tired and had a bit of a head ache, and a mild fever, nothing more. Again, I felt all she needed was rest I gave her something for the headache and fever and she soon went back to sleep.

Linwe slept all that day and the next. She ate very little and was generally only awake long enough to take her medicine, and a few sips of broth. Last evening Frodo called me to their room about dinner time. Linwe had started coughing. I became a little more concerned at this point. I had thought she should be improving by then though she was still dependent on the medicine to keep her fever down and now she had a deep cough. I suggested that we prop her up on some pillows, that a change in position was all she needed. I did not tell Frodo but I decided that unless she was doing markedly better in the morning I was going to send for a healer.

I did not have that long to wait. Shortly after midnight, Frodo came and woke Sam and I. Linwe’s fever had gone up and the medicine was no longer doing anything for it. Bless Sam. He remembered that you were still visiting at Great Smials. Linwe has stored up a wide variety of herbs of which I know not the uses of. You should have all that you need here. I know there are a herbs she keeps that are known mostly to the Elves. Perhaps Merry, with his study of herbs, would know how to use those.

Sam is waiting to take this to my brother Nibs, he is the fastest rider we know. He is mad about Linwe, so I know he will get this to you faster than anyone. Please come as quickly as you can. We will hold off doing anything further as long as we can. We hate to have to put Linwe in a cold bath to lower her fever, so soon after her near freezing to death, but none of us know what else to do.

Wishing you Safety and Speed,

Rosie

Esmeralda took a moment to gather her thoughts then went to the dining room. "Merry! I need you to get the carriage ready. We need to get to Bag End at once. Linwe is sick."

"So Nibs was telling us. I sent word to the stables to get three ponies saddled up," said Merry.

"But Merry the carriage…" protested Esmeralda.

"Mother, if we take the carriage, we will not get there until tomorrow. After reading Rosie’s letter do you think Linwe can wait that long?"

"Well no…"

"Then you, I and Pippin will head out on pony back. We can take narrow trails and cut across country as Nibs did. We will not be able to go as fast as he did but we should still be there by afternoon tea. I know you are not fond of riding, Mother, but it is the only way."

~~~~~

It was early afternoon. Outside the sky was still full of gray clouds but it had warmed up and the ice had started to melt. Rosie sat by the sitting room fire listening to the sound of water dripping outside. She needed the few moments of rest, alone, away from all of the anxiety and fear that filled Frodo and Linwe’s room.

The task of caring for Linwe was largely repetitious. Without knowing what herbs in Linwe’s stores would be effective and how much to give her, there was little to be done for Linwe. The only thing Rosie could think of was to keep dosing Linwe with the same medicine that was no longer effective and getting as much fluids into her as they could. Frodo was now nearly incapacitated with worry and sometimes seemed to be sharing Linwe’s symptoms. Sam did his best to look after Frodo, getting him to eat the little amounts he would. Rosie sat at Linwe’s bedside and continually spooning water and broth into Linwe’s mouth, the one small defense she could give Linwe against the fever that was ravaging her.

The sound of dripping water was soon joined by the sound of hooves. Rosie opened her eyes and looked out the window. The site of the three familiar riders filled her with hope and relief. "Sam, come quick! They’re here! Merry, Pippin, and Esme are here!" shouted Rosie as she hurried for the front door. By the time Sam came to the door Rosie was at the garden gate to welcome the new arrivals.

"Rosie dear," said Esmeralda as she stepped back to look at the Hobbitess before her. "You should have sent for me earlier. You’re in no condition to be taking on such heavy nursing duties."

"They were not so heavy until last night. I really did not think Linwe was all that sick," said Rosie.

"Until last night we were more worried about Mr. Frodo," said Sam. "He has been fretting for Linwe something terrible."

"Well we are here now. Pippin, why don’t you take the ponies around and get them settled. Merry, let’s get inside and see what is to be done."

It was a grim sight that greeted Esmeralda and Merry when they stepped into Frodo and Linwe’s room with Rosie and Sam. Frodo sat in a chair pulled right up to the bed sleeping fitfully. His clothes were rumpled, his hair looked filthy, and he was slightly flushed and sweating as though he too had a fever. Linwe was in bed, propped up on a pile of pillows into a near sitting position. Her face was deeply flushed. Strands of hair were plastered to her sweaty face. She too slept fitfully. Esmeralda put a hand to Linwe’s brow. "Oh dear, she is burning up. What have you been able to do for her, today, Rosie?"

"I kept giving her the same medicine as before though I do not think it has done any good. I have also been spooning fluids into her, mostly water and broth."

"That was well done." Esmeralda glanced down at Frodo and noticed his face was flushed as well and touched the side of his face with the back of her fingers. "Frodo is slightly warm himself. Has he shown any other symptoms?"

"No he hasn’t. He just seems over tired from lack of proper rest, and we can barely get him to eat, but I don’t think he is sick."

"I think the first thing to do then is to get him out from under foot." Esmeralda reached out and gently shook Frodo’s shoulder. "Frodo? It’s Esme, dear, you need to wake up."

Frodo opened his eyes, lifted his head and blinked several times before fixing his gaze on Esmeralda. A look of relief spread across his features. "You’ve arrived! How long have you been here?"

"Just a few minutes, dear."

"Can you help her?"

"Yes we can, she is a very sick lass, but I think she will be fine. But the first thing to be done is for you to go with Sam, get something to eat, clean up and change your clothes."

"No, I would rather stay here."

"And I would rather you not! In fact I insist that you leave. I am not going to examine Linwe and discuss with Merry and Rosie what is to be done, with you here. We will not be able to speak freely with you in the room and there are certain things a husband should not hear, spoken in plain language."

"I want to hear the truth of what is going on."

"I am the healer here, Frodo Baggins. I will decided how to proceed. I will tell you what you need to know, in the manner you need to hear it."

"But…"

"No ‘buts’, Frodo. This is the way things are to be done. Sam take him out of here, you and Pippin are under strict orders to keep him out of here until after I have come to speak to him myself."

After the door was securely shut behind the departing Frodo and Sam, Esmeralda took a cold damp cloth from the bed side table and applied it to Linwe’s brow. At the touch of the cloth, Linwe stirred and opened her eyes. "Mummy?"

"I’m here, little one." Esme Replied without bothering to correct Linwe’s misperception.

"Mummy, my stomach aches and I feel hot," said Linwe.

"I know dear, you are sick, but I promise you that you will be feeling better soon. Now I want you to go back to sleep."

"All right, I will." Linwe coughed then her eyes drifted closed and she slipped once more into a fit-full doze.

Esmeralda brushed tears from her cheeks, then felt for Linwe’s pulse. "She has a rapid heart rate but judging by her cough her lungs are clear for the time being. "

"How bad is she?" asked Rosie

"She is a very sick young Hobbitess but nothing that cannot be cured. She has the grippe. A sever case of it but we will manage. The way to treat it is by managing the symptoms until she fights the illness off, however she complained of stomach pain, which does not usually go with this illness. I need to feel her stomach and check for hard spots and swelling to be sure she does not have something else making her ill." Esmeralda pulled back the bedding that covered Linwe from just above her waist down, and gasped. Beneath Linwe’s hips there were bright red splotches on her night dress."

"Mother, what is it?" asked Merry in alarm.

Esmeralda paused for a moment then turned her own pale face to her son, Merry, I need you to go to Linwe’s herb pantry and get what you need to make your grandmother’s remedy. Do you remember how she made it?"

"Yes, but what is wrong with Linwe?"

"I will explain later, go to the kitchen and make that remedy, and while you are in her pantry, look to see if she has a good strong sedative, or the ingredients to make one. You can tell Frodo that she has a bad case of the grippe and that Rosie and I are making her more comfortable and will be along shortly to give him more details. Do not let him come back here."

~~~~~

An hour passed before Esmeralda made her appearance in the kitchen, having left Rosie at Linwe’s bed side, and faced the expectant gazes of Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin. "How is she?" demanded Frodo "Will she be all right?"

Esmeralda sighed wearily, "Yes, dear, she will. Sit down and I will tell you all that you need to know." Frodo hesitated but then took a seat, Esmeralda took the seat next to him and turned to face him. "As Merry told you, Linwe has an especially sever case of the grippe. We can manage this and she should make a sound recovery. There is the danger of another illness setting in while her body is weakened by this one, however I am confident that with plenty of rest we will be able to prevent that from happening."

Frodo looked closely at Esmeralda, "There is something else you have not told me, isn’t there?"

Esmeralda reached out and took Frodo’s hands in hers, remembering the times she had held his hands in just the same way when he was still a boy. She looked upon the maimed finger and felt tears start to sting her eyes at the hardships that Frodo must have suffered that lead to the loss of that one finger. Esmeralda wished she did not have to add to those hardships. She blinked back the tears and looked into Frodo’s steady but worried gaze. "Yes, Frodo, there is something else." Esmeralda stopped and took a deep breath before continuing on. "Frodo, dear, did you know that Linwe was pregnant? Had she said anything to you about suspecting that she might be?"

Frodo’s eyes became very wide, "Pregnant? No, she has not said anything. Linwe’s pregnant?" Frodo filled with pure joy. He smiled and looked at the faces of those around him. As his eyes went from one sad face to another the joy slowly drained from his face and he once more turned a troubled gaze to Esmeralda. "But you said ‘was’, as in the past and no longer is."

Esmeralda lost the battle with her tears. "I am so sorry, dear. Linwe lost the baby. Her high fever was too much for the baby. Since Linwe said nothing to you, I suspect that she herself may not have known she was with child."

Frodo sat for a moment in shocked silence then slowly stood up and walked over to the fire place where he put his hands on the mantel and leaned against them. For several long minutes nothing could be heard in the usually cheery room, except for the crackling of flames and burning wood. Then in one sudden motion and an anguished cry Frodo swept the row of neatly displayed dishes from a top the mantel. "NO!" cried Frodo as he then swept the dishes from a shelf in the corner cupboard. Merry was nearest to Frodo. Moving quickly Merry put his arms around Frodo, pinning Frodo’s arms to his side. Frodo fought against Merry for half a minute, then crumpled to the floor sobbing, Merry went down with him holding Frodo tightly in his arms as his own tears slid down his own cheeks. "Why Linwe?" sobbed Frodo, "Isn’t it enough that she bears my wounds?"

Chapter Thirty-five

Esmeralda slipped silently into Frodo and Linwe’s room. Linwe slept quietly in the bed. Esmeralda and Merry had been able to get Linwe's fever down with a stronger medicine, so she was now able to rest more peacefully. Frodo lay on a cot between the bed and the fire place sound asleep. Merry sat on the edge of the cot, gently washing Frodo’s maimed hand with a damp cloth. Merry had just spent the last hour and a half giving Frodo the first bath he had for several days. Merry even went so far as to wash Frodo’s hair. All of this was quit an undertaking since Merry didn’t dare risk waking Frodo by just simply submerging him in a tub full of water. When Frodo barely stirred while having warm water poured over his hair, Merry started to think the full bath may have been possible after all. As Esmeralda took in the scene before her she was reminded of a similar scene from many years before. It was during the brief time that she and a much younger Frodo had both been members of the Master of Buckland’s family. She because she was married to the future Master, Frodo because he had been orphaned and had became the charge of the Master of Buckland himself.

Esmeralda remembered a room lit up in the warm glow of fire and candle light. A small boy with soft brown curls sat on a rug shaking a small rattle to the delight of the baby that lay on the rug next to him. "Esme, look! Merriadoc is smiling at me. He likes me!" young Frodo said happily.

Esmeralda smiled, "Of course he does. I think you are his favorite cousin."

"Do you really think so? I like him too. I can hardly wait until he’s big enough to go exploring with me. Maybe we will some day go find Uncle Bilbo’s trolls," Frodo said excitedly.

Esmeralda chuckled, "I’m afraid you will have a bit of a wait before Merriadoc is old enough for all of that."

"I know." Said Frodo as he continued shaking the rattle for his tiny cousin. Merriadoc smiled his toothless baby smile and waved his chubby baby fists all about, trying to catch the rattle. "Esme?"

"Yes, Dear?"

"I was thinking, Merriadoc is an awfully big name for such a small Hobbit."

"Yes, I suppose it is, but he will grow into it," Esmeralda said as she sat knitting, her needles flickering in the fire and candle light.

"Well, I had an idea that since he is so happy most of the time, that maybe I could call him ‘Merry’ for short. Just until he is big enough to be ‘Merriadoc’ you understand."

Esmeralda looked up from her knitting and smiled, "I think that is a fine idea, Frodo."

Frodo turned back to the baby at his side and smiled happily. "You hear that? I get to call you ‘Merry’. You and I will always be friends as well as cousins, and we will look after one another, wont we Merry?" Baby Merry cooed in agreement and looked up with adoration at Frodo.

Esmeralda smiled to herself. She had quickly learned that for all of his pranks and stealing of mushrooms at every opportunity, Frodo was a sweet sensitive child, despite his reputation as being the terror of the neighborhood. There was no doubt in her mind that he meant every word he had just spoken to his infant cousin.

"Mother?" The now grown up Merry called out to Esmeralda and startled her out of her reverie. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, dear, I am. I was just reminiscing is all. I seem to do that more as I grow old." Esmeralda smiled a small wry smile.

"You may grow older," said Merry, "but I don’t think you could ever grow old."

"And aren’t you the darlin’ boy for saying so," Said Esmeralda adopting the lilting speech of the Tookland farming folk. "How is Frodo?"

"He is sound asleep, I gave him a pretty hefty dose of that sedative and he is exhausted so I think he will sleep for quit awhile." Merry stood up with basin, cloth and towel in hand, and went to return them to the bathroom. Esmeralda took Merry’s place at Frodo’s side. She reached out and brushed the soft brown curls from his temple, and remember the many times she had done the same when Frodo was a boy.

It had been about a year after he had lost his parents when she moved into Brandy Hall as Saradoc’s bride. Old Rory and Menegilda had taken Frodo into their care. Frodo had been settled into Saradoc’s boyhood bedroom, and Saradoc and Esmeralda had taken the room next to it. At first Esmeralda hardly ever saw Frodo. Though he was the ward of the Master of Buckland, in truth Frodo had been allowed to do pretty much as he liked. The boy spent most of his days wandering Buckland alone, helping himself to pies cooling on window sills and produce from any garden that was handy whenever he was hungry. The only time Esmeralda was sure to see him was at dinner, the one meal he always ate at home.

One evening about a month after her arrival, Esmeralda walked by Frodo’s door and heard the sound of weeping coming from the other side. Esmeralda knocked on the door but there was no answer. She opened the door and let herself in. There was Frodo, curled in a tight ball around his pillow, crying. Esmeralda’s heart went out to the small lad and without thinking she went to him and gathered him up in her arms. The ‘Terror of Buckland’ did not resist. Instead he wrapped two rather dirty arms around her neck and pressed his grubby and tear-streaked face into her shoulder and cried himself to sleep. Esmeralda learned that it was at night that Frodo missed his mother and father the most. In the silence of his dark bedroom he was loneliest and missed their presence.

Esmeralda shook off the memories of the past and pulled the quilt up higher over Frodo’s bare chest. It was then she noticed a mark on his left shoulder. "Merry?"

"Yes, Mother," replied Merry as he came back into the room.

"What is this on Frodo’s left shoulder?"

"That is where the Dark Rider stabbed him," Merry said, his face clouding at the memory of the terrifying night.

"But that was two years ago and this wound looks only half healed. He should have nothing but a scar there now."

"It will likely always be as you see it. It was not an ordinary blade that made that wound and some of the poisoning evil still lingers there." Merry said grimly.

Esmeralda felt tears start to sting her eyes. She sat looking at the wound, mournfully, for several long moments, when another thought came to her awareness. She started to look at it more curiously, "There is something familiar about this wound."

Merry’s raised his eye brows in surprise, "How so?"

Esmeralda sighed and shrugged, "I am not certain, but I am sure it is not important." With one last affectionate brush of Frodo’s hair she stood up and turned towards Linwe. "It looks like we managed to get her resting comfortably." Esmeralda reached out and put a hand to Linwe’s brow. "She is still a bit warm, but far better than she was before. A small amount of fever should actually help her." Esmeralda turned from the bed and said to Merry, "I think Linwe is settled for the night. Should I send Sam or Pippin to help you finish getting Frodo settled?"

"That would be most helpful. And could you send them with a dinner tray? I haven’t eaten since we arrived."

Esmeralda chuckled, "Of course, I can’t have you wasting away."

At the door, Esmeralda turned and took another glance about the room with it’s two patients. She noticed that Frodo and Linwe were lying in nearly identical positions, with their right hand on their stomach. A train of thoughts moved quickly through Esmeralda’s mind. She wondered over the coincidence of their lying in such similar poses and then remembered the never healing wound on Frodo’s shoulder.

Merry was surprised to see Esmeralda go back across the room to Linwe’s side and pull the neck line of her gown to one side revealing her left shoulder. "How can that be?" He heard her say to herself.

"How can what be? What is the matter?"

"Merry, come and look." Merry walked over and looked closely at Linwe’s shoulder and saw a long, thin, grayish mark. He reached out and touched it tentatively, "It’s cold! What it is?"

"This appeared on her shoulder when she fell ill, just days after moving to Brandy Hall with her parents. I have never had any idea of what it was or what had caused that illness until now."

Merry looked at his mother with his own puzzled expression. "What do you think it is?"

"Look at Frodo’s wound on his left shoulder and then look at the mark on Linwe’s left shoulder."

Merry did as he was told. "They are the exact size and shape, and in the same location," he said in surprise, "but how is that possible?"

Esmeralda ignored his question, "Tell me what day Frodo was wounded." 

"It was October the sixth."

"That was the same day Linwe collapsed and that mark appeared. Now how long did it take for Frodo to heal?"

"About a fortnight."

"Linwe lay unconscious for a fortnight. In all of that time I could never sort out what was wrong with her. Lila and Marmadas called it a ‘lost spell’. They said that all her life she had them but nothing like what they were seeing then. They said Linwe would go into a daze, not seeing or hearing anything that was going on around her. They said they asked her once what happened when these episodes occurred and she said she did not know."

"Mother, what is it you are trying to tell me?"

"I know this will sound strange, but I can’t get the idea out of my head. It makes so many things fit into place."

"Please, Mother, tell me what you are thinking." persisted Merry.

"Merry, what if all of those times Linwe was having a ‘lost spell’ she was, in some way, sharing in something that was happening to Frodo?"

Merry looked at his mother in disbelief, "You can not be serious, Mother. How would such a thing even be possible?"

"There have always been Tooks who seemed to know things, who could sense things, that know one else could. Frodo and Linwe both have Took blood in them so maybe that is the way."

"No Took has ever showed marks matching another person’s scars though. Besides, Frodo has scars from other wounds he received on the quest. There is one on the back of his neck, and he is missing a finger. Linwe still has all of hers."

"Linwe has her fingers but there is a mark on her right hand ring finger. It goes all the way around and it is in the same place where Frodo’s was bitten off. She also has a mark on the back of her neck. "

Merry looked at his mother in disbelief, "Would those happen to have appeared with her mysterious illness in March of that year?"

"Yes, the one on the back of her neck appeared first. She had been visiting with Merenwen and collapsed suddenly. When Merenwen brought her back to Brandy Hall we found the mark."

"And the mark on her finger, did she suddenly start to recover after that one appeared?"

"Yes."

Merry clenched his jaw and thought for a moment. "From the first moment Frodo and Linwe laid eyes on one another there seemed to be something different about them. Maybe this is that something, but if it is it brings up even more questions than it answers. Do they know something they are not telling anyone else? Is there anyone else who knows about this? What exactly is the connection between them?"

~~~~~

Merry stood facing the silent, astonished faces of Sam, Rosie, and Pippin. Rosie was the first to recover from the shock of Merry’s news and speak, "Are you certain the marks on Linwe match Frodo’s scars?"

"I looked at them closely. They are the same shape and they are located in the same places on her as they are on Frodo. The Mark on her finger even follows the same line as Frodo’s stump," asserted Merry, "You can look for yourself if you like."

Sam shook his head, "I don’t understand how this is even possible. This is unbelievable."

"To a Took it is believable," came Pippin’s quiet reply.

"What did you say?" asked Sam.

"I said that to a Took it is believable. You have all heard the rumors of a long ago Took marrying one of the fairy folk."

"Yes," said Sam, "and all of you Tooks are quick to laugh it off as nonsense when ever anyone mentions it."

"I’ll not deny it this time," said Pippin, "A Took did marry one of the fairy folk, and to this day the fairy blood runs strong in some Tooks. It is the reason why some have left never to be heard from again. Some Tooks have a habit of knowing things that are about to happen or have happened miles away. You can tell which Tooks have the fairy blood by their green eyes." Sam’s eyes widened, suddenly he was acutely aware that Pippin’s own eyes were the purest green Sam had ever seen.

"Frodo and Linwe are both from the Took line," said Merry "but neither one of them has green eyes."

"I didn’t say that the fairy blood was what caused what ever it is that has gone on. I just said that what ever has happened is believable to the Tooks."

"Would you stop!" cried Sam "There has to be a reasonable explanation for this."

"Really Sam, after all that you went through with Frodo, I would think you would be more open minded," chided Pippin.

"It is because of all that I saw Frodo go through that I don’t want to believe it!" Sam burst out, his face showing his deep felt anguish. "The thought of Linwe being here and going through so much suffering is terrible. She lost her parents while we were gone, that was bad enough. There has to be another reason for those marks, she could not have been through what you are suggesting. It’s nonsense."

Rosie reached out and took Sam’s hand, "It isn’t nonsense," She said quietly, "its true." Rosie took a deep breath and went on, "One day last March, Linwe and I were coming home from doing the marketing. Linwe suddenly got dizzy and pale, then she grabbed the back of her neck and cried out in pain and started to collapse. I tried to get her to stop and sit down but she got frantic she said Frodo was hurting and insisted on getting home. When we got to the house she went straight to Frodo’s room, he was lying on the bed, apparently unaware of his surroundings. Sam, Linwe knew he was hurting when we were not yet home. She felt his pain."

Tears spilled down Sam’s cheeks, "Frodo suffered so much, now you are all saying that Linwe went through that suffering as well. It is too much."

Merry wiped tears from his own eyes, "We don’t know how much she saw or felt, Sam. We don’t really know much of anything. Maybe all Linwe knows is what she was told, that she was sick."

"They must know about the scars," said Rosie, "They are husband and wife, and rather affectionate, should I say? They had to have seen the scars."

The room was silent for several moments, the only sound was the crackling of the fire. "What are we to do?" Pippin asked quietly.

"I think we need to have a talk with them and get some answers." Said Merry.

"We can’t do that," said Rosie, "as concerned as we are this really is not any of our business."

"How can you say that?" retorted Merry.

"Very easily, because it is the truth. This is a private matter between Frodo and Linwe, and however much they know, they have obviously decided not to share it with us. We have to respect their silence."

"Rosie, if Sam, Pippin, and I, respected Frodo’s silence whenever it was obvious that he was hiding something from us, Frodo would have died, alone, on the road to Bree, and all of Middle Earth would be under a cloud of evil so vile as to make the occupation look like a Lithe Day picnic."

"I understand that, but do you honestly think that Frodo and Linwe are hiding something that threatens all of Middle Earth? You have seen them. They are a happy and settled couple. Their only plans for the future are to have a family. They are not going anywhere, and they are in no danger."

"I’m sorry, Rosie, but I cannot settle for that. Yesterday I would have agreed with you. Yesterday I believed that all of their pain was in the past and they only had a peaceful future ahead of them. All of that changed this morning when, I was given the news that Linwe had nearly froze to death and that she was gravely ill. We are all aware how badly Linwe has wanted a baby and no sooner than we get here, the news is Linwe has miscarried the child she likely did not even know she was carrying. Pardon me if in the wake of all that, I find it difficult to just calmly accept that every pain Frodo felt on the quest was visited on Linwe as well. I promised them, we all promised them, that we would serve them if ever they were in need. We can not do that if we do not know what the need is."

"Merry, you just told Sam a few minutes ago that we couldn’t be sure of what has happened and how much either of them know," protested Rosie

"You said yourself that surely they know about the scars," retorted Merry

"And so they likely do, but that does not say that they are in anyway knowing what they mean. We don’t know, if Linwe felt any pain. And even if she did we do not know if she remembers."

"They know. Frodo knows." Pippin’s quiet voice cut through Merry and Rosie’s arguing. Pippin’s voice trembled as he continued, "Earlier, when Frodo collapsed, I heard him say ‘Isn’t it enough that she bears my wounds too?’."

Chapter Thirty-six

Frodo felt a cool hand on his brow. He opened his eyes leaving the stillness of sleep to be greeted by bright morning sunlight and Esme’s tender smile. At first Frodo started to smile. For a moment he was back in his room, in Brandy Hall, a young Hobbit of only thirteen or so, but then he took in the familiar surroundings of his room in Bag End. Despair came crashing down over him. "Linwe," was the only word he could get passed the lump that formed in his throat.

"Her fever is broken and she is sleeping peacefully now." Esme said quietly.

"I want to see her," said Frodo. He started to sit up but paused as dizziness threatened to overcome him.

"Now you just lie back down. You are as weak as a new colt yourself," scolded Esmeralda.

"I want to see her!" exclaimed Frodo. He pushed himself up to sitting only to collapse as an even stronger wave of dizziness swept over him.

"For a hobbit who is fifty-three years old, you show no more sense than a tween-ager. Now if you will turn your head to your left you will find that you can see Linwe, just fine from where you lay in your cot."

"It’s not the same. I want to touch her. I want to sit with her and hold her hand. She needs me to be there with her."

"NO! As a matter of fact she does not. Linwe is sleeping peacefully for the first time since she fell ill. She has been through great physical stress. What she needs is to sleep undisturbed. What she needs for you to do is to be still and rest yourself. The lot of you waited far too long in sending for me. You were not getting any sleep. You did not eat, let alone bathe. You were under tremendous stress yourself worrying for her. Add to that you are far too thin yourself and have been since your return home from that journey of yours. Don’t even try to tell me that you are as strong and healthy as you ever were because I know you are not. Tending to Linwe these past days nearly did you in. It is quit possible you were in as much danger as she was. Now, I am here and I am in charge. You will stay in that bed until I tell you otherwise. From there you can see that Linwe is doing much better. Behave yourself and tomorrow I might let you sit by her side for ten minutes."

"Tomorrow! No, she needs me now!"

"Frodo Baggins, you will stay where you are in this room without argument or so help me I will have Merry carry you off to one of the guest rooms and tie you down to a bed there."

Frodo glared at Esmeralda with a fury so intense she feared she had pushed him too far. If Sam had been in the room then he would have seen the look and been reminded of moments on the quest when Frodo’s anger had flared. However, Frodo did not have the strength to maintain his fury. He collapsed back against the pillows on his cot. He brought up one shaky hand to cover his eyes. Esmeralda moved to sit on the cot next to him. "Frodo, dear, I understand how worried you are. But you have been under a tremendous strain yourself. If you do not rest now then when Linwe wakes up it will be to the news that you are very sick yourself. Please, do this my way and we will have you up in next to no time." Frodo’s only response was a nod of his head. "Now, you ought to know that I have decided to keep her sleeping for the next several days. Between the miscarriage and the severity of her illness, Linwe is highly susceptible to additional infections. In her weakened condition such an illness could prove to be deadly. Keeping her asleep will allow her body to use what energy she has to concentrate on recovering. Do you understand?"

Frodo pulled his hand away from his face, "Yes, I understand."

Esmeralda took his hand and squeezed it, "There is a good lad. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go to the kitchen to fetch you soup and bread. I think in a bit I will get a couple of the lads in here to shift this cot around a bit so that you don’t have to strain your neck looking at Linwe."

Frodo smiled wearily while giving her hand a slight squeeze of his own, "You know, for a moment after I woke up, I saw your face and thought I was just a boy back in Brandy Hall again. I don’t think I realized how much I have missed you until now."

"I’ve missed you too, Frodo, dear. Perhaps once I have got you and Linwe set back to rights we can discuss your coming to make an extended visit at Brandy Hall."

~~~~~

"Don’t tell her," Frodo said quietly.

"What was that, dear?" asked Esmeralda from where she sat near by knitting what appeared to be a hat for baby. It was late in the afternoon. Aside from brief visits with Merry, Pippin, Sam and Rosie, Frodo had spent his day, either dozing or watching Linwe. "Don’t tell her about…" he stammered "about the baby."

"I wish that were possible," Esmeralda said with a sad sigh.

"Why isn’t it?" asked Frodo with anger tingeing his gaze.

"Because she will still be bleeding when we allow her to fully wake up. She will need to be checked regularly for the next several weeks to be sure that there is no infection in her womb as well as for blood clots. We also can not be sure that she was not already starting to suspect that she might be with child. It is not unheard of for a Hobbitess who has had trouble conceiving to not say anything to her husband until she is absolutely sure. If Linwe suspected she might be pregnant then she will know without our telling her that she has miscarried. I know that at this point it is hard to believe but the best thing we can do is to be honest with her. The two of you should mourn your loss openly. In time Linwe will heal and I would imagine that soon after that the two of you will, have the happy discovery of finding she is pregnant once again."

Frodo’s gaze fell in renewed despair. "I fear under the circumstances she will blame herself. There has to be some way of just not telling her. Keep her asleep for several weeks, anything, just don’t tell her about the baby."

"Frodo that just is not possible. Linwe must be told, but I can assure her and you that she is not to blame. Linwe was very ill before she even woke up that morning. The fever already had hold of her and she was not thinking clearly or she would likely have listened when you told her not to go out that day." Esmeralda looked Frodo straight in the eye, without blinking, "Linwe will be fine. You of all people should know how strong she is." Frodo sensed volumes of hidden meaning of her words.

~~~~~

Late morning five days after Linwe’s fever had broken she opened her eyes to bright morning sunlight. and Esmeralda’s warm smile, much as Frodo had a few days before. "Here you are, dear. Take a drink of this water," said Esmeralda holding a glass up to Linwe’s lips. Linwe took one tiny sip. The water washing across her tongue made her realize her mouth and throat felt parched, so she took several larger sips. "There you are, I think that is enough for the moment. How are you feeling?"  

Linwe blinked several times, "Rather groggy and weak. Esme!  Why are you here?"

"I am here, because you have been very sick. Your fever got quite high. Poor Rosie did not know what to do for you, so she sent for me. Fortunately I was still at Great Smials, so it didn’t take long at all for Merry, Pippin and I to get here."

"Where is Frodo?"

"He is out getting a bit of air at my orders. The lad has barely left your side since you got sick. I have had to be rather firm to make sure he takes care and does not exhaust himself. The two of you are really quite a pair, you are both extremely stubborn. This time around I can say that you have been the better patient but then I have been keeping you asleep for several days. I had no good excuse to keep your husband in the same state. Frodo will be most pleased to see you awake. He has been so worried for you. We all have."

~~~~~

Linwe felt herself rising once more out of the depths of sleep. She lay for a moment with her eyes closed, letting her mind wander. Without thinking she twitched her hand then felt another hand closed its fingers tightly around hers. Immediately Linwe knew who’s hand it was that held her own, "Frodo?"

"I am here," came his softly spoken reply

Linwe slowly opened her eyes, turned towards the sound of his voice, and smiled. "I missed you earlier. Esmeralda said that you went out for a bit of fresh air. I tried to stay awake until you came back but I just couldn’t do it."

"You needed the rest more than anything. However when I found out that you had been awake I swore that I wouldn’t leave your side again. I have been waiting a long time to see you with your eyes open, alert, and you healthy."

"I am awake. I think you may have to wait a bit longer for me to be healthy. I am rather weak. I tried having a bit of soup and my hand shook so much that all of the soup spilled off the spoon," Linwe said with chagrin.

Frodo smiled,  "Well at the very least you are better than you were a few days ago. You are recovering now, before long you will feel perfectly well again."

Linwe smiled, "I love you."

Frodo leaned forward and kissed Linwe’s forehead, "I love you too."

Esmeralda knocked on the half open door then walked into the room, "Oh good, you are awake again. How are you feeling?"

"I feel a little better. I think I would like a bath if possible."

"That you can be concerned for such things is a good sign. I think a bath could be arranged, though a short one. I don’t want you getting too tired out. However, before we get to that there is something I need to talk with you about."

Frodo’s hold on Linwe’s hand suddenly tightened, Linwe looked at him in time to see him flinch. "What is the matter?" she asked in a small wavering voice.

Esmeralda sat down on the bed opposite of Frodo and took up Linwe’s other hand. "Linwe, there is one thing about your condition that you need to be aware of." Esmeralda took a deep breath then continued. "Before I get into that there are a few things that I need to know. Could you tell me when you had your last monthly?"

Linwe glanced at Frodo and blushed, "It was two weeks before Yule, I believe."

"Was it different in any way? Did it come at the time you expected it to?"

Linwe thought for a moment, "No, as a matter of fact it was several days late. I remember being excited about that. I had planned to go see the midwife to see if maybe I was… well you know, but then the day I was going to see the midwife my monthly came."

"Was there anything else unusual about it?"

"Only that it was lighter than usual. It was really only a little bit of spotting.. Why are you asking me all of these questions?"

Esmeralda sighed heavily, in her eyes there was a shadow of deep sadness. "I am sorry to have to tell you this, Linwe, but you were pregnant. Judging by what you have just told me you were about two months along when you got sick. It isn’t unusual to have some spotting in the first month."

Linwe looked from Esmeralda to Frodo, her thoughts in a confusion. Pregnant was good! Why is no one happy? Why had Esme said... "You said ‘were’," Linwe interrupted her own thoughts not knowing how her words closely echoed Frodo’s several nights before, "what has happened?"

"Dear, your fever was so high. It was more than the baby could endure. I am so sorry, but I am afraid you have had a miscarriage."

Linwe felt as though her heart had been ripped from her. The emptiness that was left in its place was dark and cold. Linwe felt she could barely breathe. She pulled her shocked gaze from Esmeralda to turn to Frodo. Sadness and despair, that was what she saw in his face. Linwe wanted to plead with him to tell her that what Esme had just said was not true. All she managed was one word, "Frodo?"

Frodo could not give her what she wanted and hoped for, "I’m sorry, my love." 

 Linwe took her hand from Esme. Looking down she pressed her hand to her belly. Empty, there was nothing there. No one. Her greatest wish, there and gone now. Linwe could only sit in stunned silence for many long moments. Tears spilled down her face unheeded. With each passing moment of Linwe’s silence Frodo became more frightened for her. "Linwe, please say something or look at me." Linwe’s breathing started to come in heaving gasps. "Linwe!" She heard an anguished cry that seemed to fill the room and herself. As she found herself in Frodo’s tight protective embrace she realized the cry had come from her.

Chapter Thirty-seven

"There, another gown is finished." Linwe said with satisfaction. Rosie looked up from where she sat working on her own sewing. "You out do yourself with each garment, dear. With the fine embroidery you have been doing, this will be the best dressed baby in the Shire."

"It is nothing less than my niece deserves."

"What will you do if you should get a nephew?"

"Then he deserves to be dressed well too. However that really is of no concern because you are having a girl."

Rosie chuckled. It was a continual game played in their home. Linwe always asserted that the baby would be a girl while Sam was just as confident that the baby would be a boy. Rosie rested her hand on her round belly, "I suppose in a few weeks we will know which of you was right." Rosie paused for a moment, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she scrutinized her friend. Being careful to keep her voice light and casual she said, "I am sure that in a couple months time you and Frodo will start this all over again as you debate over what the next little Baggins will be."

Linwe said nothing.

Rosie carefully scrutinized her friends profile, it was blank, almost as though Linwe had stopped feeling, or had been turned to stone like one of old Bilbo’s trolls. "You are not going to talk about it, are you?" Linwe’s silence continued. "Linwe, this isn’t good for you. I’ve not heard you utter a word about the miscarriage since the day you learned of your loss."

Still Linwe said nothing. She kept her eye firmly on her hands and the small gown they held.

"Linwe, you can not continue pretending that it never happened."

"I’m not," Linwe said very quietly.

"What was that, dear? I couldn’t quite understand you."

"I said, that I am not pretending." Linwe’s voice was tight.

"Then why do you never speak of it?" urged Rosie.

Rosie’s question was only met with more silence from Linwe. But as Rosie watched she could see the evidence of Linwe’s inner battle of emotions showing itself on her face. "Linwe, you can not keep holding it in like this. You will just make yourself sick again. Please talk to me. I am so worried about you. We all are."

Linwe took several deep shaky breaths. "I am afraid to talk about it. I am afraid it will hurt more," Linwe looked up at Rosie with tear filled eyes, "It hurts so much now. If I speak of it, surely it will just make it hurt that much worse." Linwe put her hands to her face as she started to cry.

"Oh Dearest," Rosie got up awkwardly from her chair, "Come with me. Let’s sit on the couch, you can put your head on my shoulder cry all you want to and tell me everything."

Once settled on the couch nothing was said, Rosie just handed Linwe a handkerchief then let her cry until her tears were spent. After the sobbing had subsided and Linwe’s breathing was a little more even, Rosie spoke again. "Are you ready to talk now? I know you are afraid to but I really do believe it will make you feel better, not worse."

Linwe sniffed, "I don’t know what to say."

"Tell me how you feel at this very moment."

"Sad. Very sad, and empty, like I will never be happy again."

"Have you felt like this all of the time the last few weeks? Have you felt even the slightest bit happy?"

"I have. Once in a while, I am able to forget it ever happened. But it is only for a moment, then I will remember."

"Does my condition ever bother you? Does it hurt to have me here?"

"Sometimes," Linwe admitted reluctantly, "but mostly I am glad you are here." Linwe put her hand on Rosie’s swollen tummy then rubbed it. "You do remind me of what I have lost. Sometimes just being in the same room as you makes me so angry, that I will want to tell you to leave. I will leave myself then. I will go for a walk or go hide with my herbs. Most of the time I am grateful you are here. I can hardly wait until your baby is born. Being a doting auntie to yours is better than having no baby at all."

"Linwe, you will have a baby of your own. You need to allow yourself a little bit more time to heal from your miscarriage, but before the spring is out you could be blessed again."

Linwe sighed, "Perhaps, but Rosie, it took so long to conceive the first one. Will have to wait as long for the next?"

"Dearest, would it matter if you did? If I could tell you with all certainty that you would have to wait as long as you did the first time, or even longer, what would you do? Would you decide that you did not want a baby after all? Would you stop sharing intimacies with your husband?"

Linwe blushed, "Well, no, of course not."

"Then why fret over something you are not willing or able to do anything about? The best thing you can do to keep from having such a long wait, is to just not fret over it so much. Just keep enjoying those special moments you have with Frodo for what they are, beautiful expressions of the love you share. If you are blessed with the conception of another child, during one of those moments, then it will have just made that particular event sweeter."

Linwe impulsively threw her arms around Rosie in a strong loving hug, "You always make me feel better, it makes me wish I had confided in you earlier. I love you so much, did you know that?"

Rosie chuckled as she returned Linwe’s hug, "Yes dear, I have long suspected as much." Rosie pulled back to look at her friend and sighed, "Now, Frodo is very worried about you. I think he could manage better if you spent all of each day crying on his shoulder, than have you continue to keep this silence. He looks as though he isn’t getting hardly any sleep at night."

Linwe’s expression became sad once more, "Frodo has more troubling him than this."

Linwe’s comment immediately reminded Rosie of the discovery of Frodo and Linwe’s matching scars. Rosie had been strongly opposed to demanding answers from her friends, but she had always been hopeful that an opportunity would present itself for one of them to finally share their secrets. Maybe this was just that opportunity. Rosie held Linwe a little tighter, "What else could Frodo have to worry about?"

Linwe said nothing.

"Linwe Taralom Baggins, please remember the vows that were made on your wedding day. If you and Frodo are hurting you have a responsibility to share it with those who love you best. Remember we are supposed to share times of sorrow as well as joy. Now what else could possibly be troubling Frodo?"

Linwe snuggled closer to Rosie, then closed her eyes as though she meant to go to sleep there. "It isn’t really all that much I suppose," Linwe said with a sigh, "It is the nightmares. I know Sam has nightmares about the quest. I once asked Merry and Pippin and they both admitted that they do too. Since they all do. I keep trying to tell myself that Frodo’s are not anything to worry all that much about."

"But you are worried all the same. Are you aware of any particular reason that you might be concerned about Frodo’s dreams beyond the fact that it is Frodo having them?"

"Well, yes. It just seems he is having more of them than ever before, every night he has them. Sometimes he is awakened by them more than once. There are nights he doesn’t go to sleep at all because he knows the dreams are waiting and he just can’t bear them. Is Sam having more of the dreams?"

"Yes, I think he is having them more often. I can’t say that it has been enough to make me more than mildly worried. Maybe you should talk with Sam, Merry and Pippin about it. If Merry and Pippin are like Sam, then they do not like talking about it much, but since it is you asking out of concern for Frodo, then all of them might be more forthcoming."

"I really hate to have to bring it up with them when none of them care to talk about it."

"I understand, but the same rule that applies to you applies to them too. If they would talk about it a bit more then they would likely feel better for it. It has taken a lot of coaxing on my part to get Sam to talk to me about the dreams and what happened on the quest. Sam has even admitted that sharing has helped, but there are still so many things that I know he has not told me."

"Again, you are right. Perhaps I will talk with the others."

~~~~~

Frodo woke up from a night of endless nightmares with a deep sense of foreboding and an awareness of the date on the calendar. It was going to happen again. He could feel it, but this time it would be worse than it was the year before. "Please not again." He said whispered to himself.

"Frodo?" Linwe’s voice sounded sleepy. He felt her hand settle itself on her chest, he put his own hand on top of hers. "Frodo, what is the matter?" Frodo turned his head and looked at her, his eyes were dark and stormy. Linwe looked into them for several long moments then shivered. "It is happening again."

"It is."

Linwe sat up, "What can I do?" she asked in a calm voice.

"Go tell Sam and Rosie I am not feeling well, tell them I fear making them sick so I am staying in our room today. Keep them away, I don’t want them to know."

Linwe did as Frodo asked. She made her excuses to Sam and Rosie. She smiled and assured them that Frodo was not really all that sick but merely wishing to be cautious for Rosie’s and the baby’s sake. Through out the day, Linwe made appearances in the kitchen to further insure that Sam and Rosie did not discover that Frodo was once again suffering on the anniversary of his wounding by Shelob.

~~~~~

Frodo sat at the desk in his study, Bilbo’s large red book before him. Carefully in his own neat hand he worked to get down his account of the quest for the ring. Three days had passed since he had fallen ill on the March anniversary. In one way the anniversary had gone better than the year before. This year he had been expecting it. He had watched the day approach. He said nothing to Linwe until the morning of, when it was obvious it would be bad again. And it was bad. It was worse than the previous year, just as the second anniversary of Weathertop had been worse than the first. Frodo woke up on the morning of the fourteenth; the previous day’s suffering a cloudy memory. He woke up and knew that certain truths had to be faced, decisions made, plans laid out. Frodo spent the next couple of days in his study. He assured Linwe he was fine, just tired from the episode. He knew she did not believe him. Linwe knew better. Frodo also knew that for the time being she would say nothing. Linwe would keep her silence as they both had for the last several months, acting as though there was nothing wrong, that the dreams were not getting worse, that the darkness was not getting more difficult for both of them to live with. Frodo stayed in his study. He worked on writing his part of the tale as well as sort out his plans for his and Linwe’s future. On the third day he was ready to talk to her so he asked her to come to his study when she was done cleaning up from breakfast.

Linwe came into the study with a bright smile on her face, "Rosie’s brother Tom was just here. He said that they will be finishing the spring planting in the next day or so and then they will be ready to get right to digging out the new addition on Sam and Rosie’s wing of the hole. He also said that he and his crew will be ready to go to work on our tree house by the end of April so he would like to start discussing final plans for that with us. Frodo said nothing. He carefully placed his quill in its stand and closed the book. Linwe’s smile disappeared in the face of Frodo’s silence. "Frodo, what is the matter?"

Frodo took a deep breath to try to steady himself, ‘Why must I have to do this?’ he asked himself. "Linwe, we need to talk."

"About what?" Linwe could feel a sinking feeling within herself.

"About the tree house. About our future…"

"You’re going to leave me," interrupted Linwe, "You’ve decided to go with the Elves. I can’t believe it. You’ve made this choice without even telling me you were considering it. How could you?"

Frodo hurried to Linwe to take her into his arms. As soon as he touched her she started to shake with sobbing. "Linwe, I am sorry. You are right. I should have at least told you that I was considering it. But, Linwe, my love, can you honestly tell me that you were not aware that this was becoming a stronger possibility?"

"It doesn’t have to be this way. We can manage. We have been doing just that. I know how to care for you when it is at it’s worst. We were happy last summer, you were happy. It was not till that day last October that things started getting worse. Maybe as we go into spring it will be better again. We’ve not been talking about it, Frodo, but I have been thinking of it. I just wanted to wait to talk about it when spring was truly here. I wanted to see if it made you feel better as I hoped. Maybe it is only in the fall and winter that it will really hurt. We can find a better way to take care of you. I will talk to Merenwen. We can take you to Rivendell or Lothlorien. We can spend the winters in one of those places if we must."

"Linwe, the Elves are leaving."

"Not all of them. Merenwen told me so. She has given some thought to staying behind as well. Your friend Legolas is staying. They will help you. They owe you." Linwe was becoming more frantic by the minute."

"No, they have helped all they can," Frodo said with some force, "Besides you are not strong enough for such journeys."

"I am too!" protested Linwe.

"Maybe you are, but I am not."

"Then we will only go once, we will go to live with the Elves that will remain. You would be well enough with them."

"Linwe, think about it. If that were true wouldn’t they have told me so a long time ago? Instead of going west with them they would have offered me a place here."

"But…"

"Linwe, I have to go. There is still so much darkness locked inside of me. It is getting harder to bear, you know it is."

"You will be all right, we will find a way."

"Linwe, I’m dying!"

Linwe jerked as though Frodo had just struck her with his hand. "As much as I would like to stay here, even if it was only so that I could die with you near me, I can’t. You feel far too much of what is happening to me, I fear that if I die, then you will die too. I would rather go with the Elves, and know that you were safe and alive."

Linwe held him tightly, hearing and feeling the truth of his words, slowly letting it all sink in. She did not want him to die. She knew she would rather see him leave with the Elves to live in some form of peace than to stay here to die in torment. "When will you go?" she whispered at last.

"I am going to get a message to Lord Elrond to see when he plans to leave. Next autumn I will either set out to meet him at the Gray Havens, or I will go to Rivendell to wait with Bilbo until it is time for us all to go and meet the ship."

Linwe cried out in renewed anguish, "Why? Why must you leave so soon? Especially if you must go to Rivendell to wait! Why should you wait there? Why not here, with me?"

"Because it isn’t safe. Last October I attacked you. I came to my senses before I could hurt you but next time we may not be so fortunate. The next time I could come to my senses only to find that I have badly hurt you, or worse killed you."

Linwe’s legs buckled beneath her, Frodo held her tight then eased them both down until they were sitting on the floor. Linwe kept her ear pressed to his chest, listening to his heart beat. She knew that what he said was true. She listened to the beating of his heart knowing that all too soon she would never be able to do so again.  

Chapter Thirty-eight

"Linwe, you forgot your cloak." Rosie called out from the front door of Bag End. Sam looked up from where he was working to watch a despondent Linwe walk back up the garden path to allow Rosie to drape the cloak about Linwe’s shoulders, as though she were a child. Sam turned to Frodo who was working a few feet a way from him, Frodo’s gaze was on Rosie and Linwe as well. "Linwe, is not herself today, and I don’t mind telling you, Mr. Frodo, that she has me a little worried."

Frodo sighed, "I know, Sam. I am worried for her myself."

"Do you suppose she is coming down with something? She seemed well enough yesterday morning. Last I saw her she was humming to herself going off to talk to you then the next thing I hear she was in bed with a headache, and I didn’t see her again until dinner, where she looked all peaked. Now today she has been walking around like she isn’t aware of what is going on around her. Would you like me to go fetch healer Burrows to come take a look at her?"

"No, Sam, there is nothing that healer Burrows can do for her."

"Then what is the matter. Is it the baby she lost? Rosie said Linwe was crying hard over that the other day."

Frodo kept his gaze on Linwe’s retreating figure. She was on her way to pick up a couple of things in town. Frodo thought for a moment of catching up with her then decided she might be better off walking by herself a bit. He knew when she was troubled by something she liked to go off walking alone. "Yes, Sam, it’s the baby," said Frodo with a sigh. It was an easy way to keep anyone from discovering the truth. "Esmeralda told me that some days Linwe would likely be the same as she ever was, other days would be hard. It will take time but she will get better."

~~~~~

Frodo climbed into bed. He was tired. He had spent the better part of the day helping Sam get the soil turned in the flower beds in preparation for planting. Frodo hadn’t really the strength for it, but he didn’t want Sam to know. Frodo wanted Sam to believe all was well.

As soon as Frodo settled back against the pillows, Linwe had herself snuggled up to him. Frodo put his arms around her to pull her closer. "Linwe, you are starting to worry Sam and Rosie." Linwe said nothing. "I told them it is on account of the miscarriage. I hope that was all right." Linwe said nothing. "I know I am asking a lot of you to keep so much from Sam and Rosie. You know what it would do to Sam if he knew."

Linwe sighed, "I know, I don’t want he and Rosie to know either."

"Linwe, I know you were angry with me for making this decision without telling you that I was carefully considering it to begin with, but now I am wondering if I ever should have told you at all."

Linwe looked up at him in alarm, "Why ever would you think that?"

"Because you are so unhappy now. Maybe if I had not said anything I could have kept it all to myself. Maybe we would have been able to spend the next several months just being happy. I hate that our last days together you will spend with this cloud hanging over you. I can not even allow you to confide in Rosie. I fear this is all too much for you."

"No, Frodo, it is better that you told me. It is true that I am hurting now, and that I will continue to hurt from this. But I don’t want you to hide all that you are truly feeling from me. That is not the way I want to love you. This is hurting you too, I know that. I am sorry for the way I have been behaving since you told me. It was just the shock. I had let myself come to believe that you would never have to go. I have been upset with myself for thinking that. If I had been honest with myself and with you, then we would have started discussing all of this months ago. You should not have had to come to that decision on your own. I am sorry for that."

"And I am sorry for not telling you that I was considering it. I admit, I started thinking about it that day last October when I nearly hit you with the shovel," Frodo sighed, "I suppose I didn’t say anything just because it made it all to real. As long as I said nothing, I could make my plans all the while telling myself that the plans would never be needed. As long as I never told you what was truly on my mind then it would not come true."

Linwe sighed. In the dim light of a single candle Frodo could see a mildly self mocking smile on her face. "I suppose we were both foolish. However, no more of that nonsense. From now on we share everything. I for one would like to let you go, knowing I did all that I could to make your leaving easier."

"Is that even possible? Is there anyway to make this hurt less?"

"I don’t know. I can tell you that I truly believe that given the choice of two hurts that I would rather take this one of knowing now what is to come, than to find out at the last possible moment. At least this way I can be sure to not squander a single moment."

"I must confess. I seriously considered not saying a word to you until the last possible moment. In fact, I was thinking it might be best to just get up one night and leave while you were sound asleep. I thought I would leave a letter for you on my pillow, to explain everything."

"Frodo Baggins! That would have been cruel. I can hardly believe you would have seriously considered depriving me of saying good bye to you."

"My love, I only wanted to keep you from hurting as much as possible."

"Not letting me say good bye would have only caused me to live the rest of my life in pain."

"Yes, so I eventually decided for myself. I also feared you would do something foolish like try to come after me."

"Now there is an interesting thought," said Linwe with a playful gleam of mischief in her eye. Her look then became more serious, "I must ask, are we absolutely certain that it would not be better to tell Sam, Rosie, Merry, and Pippin of your plans?"

"I have thought for sometime on that as well and I have decided that it is best that they do not know. They do not understand as you do how much I still hurt. What do you think they would likely do if we told them?"

"I think Rosie would be more understanding to your needing to leave, however she would have a difficult time accepting that I must stay."

"Sam, Merry, and Pippin, would have just as difficult of a time with that. I can see them all getting angry over it. I can easily see Merry and Pippin riding off to Rivendell to take the matter up with Lord Elrond."

"Do you suppose that would do any good? Maybe we should tell them. Let them ride off to Rivendell. Maybe Lord Elrond would listen to them and let me come with you."

"No, Linwe, it would be of no use. Lord Elrond would not have forbidden you from coming with me if he did not have good reason."

"But what is that good reason? If I am forbidden to go with my husband, to stay at his side then I think I should at least be allowed to know exactly why."

"It isn’t really all that difficult to understand. Linwe, you have never been away from your home land. You don’t know how hard it is to get on in a place where there are few people that are like yourself. Right now, you believe that nothing would be terrible about spending the rest of your life living among Elves with me. I think it would be far more difficult than you realize. Their culture is very different from our own."

"I know perfectly well that their culture is different, Frodo," Linwe said with irritation, "I was the one who was raised, at least in part, by an Elf."

"Yes, but Merenwen is also the only Elf you have ever known, and you have only seen her here in Hobbit surroundings. Merenwen can be quite Hobbit like herself. I am afraid that you would find the rest of Elf-kind to be far different. You would likely find Merenwen herself to be most different when surrounded by her own people."

"I can accept that life with the Elves in Valinar would be different from my life here. But you would be there. I think I could get along well enough."

"My love, of course you believe that, but you can not be completely sure of it. I myself never really wanted to go. Lady Arwen, gave me her necklace and her place on the ship. I was grateful to her for it but I had hoped from that very moment that there would be no need for me to leave. This is my home, Linwe, even if I did not have you I would not want to leave it. Because I have you, I believe I held on to the hope longer that I would yet be able to stay. I believe that Lord Elrond had good reason for not allowing you to go. I also believe that telling Merry and Pippin of my plans then allowing them to ride off to Rivendell would be of no use."

"You would give up that easily? What does Lord Elrond know of me? How can he possibly know what would be best for me?"

"How well does Merenwen know you?"

"As well as you do. She has known me all of my life."

"And hasn’t she been the one to tell Lord Elrond about the visions you were having during the quest. Was it not her who told him that we were falling in love long before I myself was able to accept how I felt for you? Dearest, do you honestly believe that Merenwen would have meekly accepted Lord Elrond’s decision without arguing on your behalf?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Linwe, Merenwen loves you and would only want what is best for you. Not once in all of this has she ever led us to believe that Lord Elrond might be wrong. In fact she has gone out of her way to insure both of us that all would be for the best whether I stayed or left. Merenwen who has known you all of your life and has had a hand in shaping you into the person you are now, is accepting Lord Elrond’s decision. Can you at least accept her opinion in the matter."

Linwe sighed then snuggled back up to Frodo, "Yes, I can. Merenwen has never failed me before."

~~~~~

Frodo and Sam both looked up to see a radiant Linwe step into Frodo’s study carrying a small blanket wrapped bundle. "I hope you gentle Hobbits don’t mind this intrusion, but the newest lady of the house wishes to meet her Uncle Frodo." Linwe crossed the room to where Frodo sat then started to hand the baby to him, "Shouldn’t Sam be the one to hold her?" Frodo asked in protest.

"I’ve already held her and I am sure I will be holding he quite a bit for some time to come. Go ahead and take her Mr. Frodo, it seems only right since you have just named her."

Frodo allowed Linwe to lay her burden in his arms, she then folded back the blanket to reveal a diminutive pink face. Frodo watched in fascination as a pair of dark shining eyes revealed themselves to look gravely up at him. "She is beautiful, Sam, her name suits her."

"What is her name?" asked Linwe.

Sam smiled, "Since I can’t really name my daughter after Frodo, and you have made it perfectly clear you will not allow her to be named after you, I asked Frodo if he would suggest a name. It is a very special name to me. With Rosie’s approval we will be calling her Elanor."

"After the flowers in Lothlorien!" exclaimed Linwe softly, "That is the perfect name. Rosie will approve." Linwe looked down at her new niece, "Well, Little one, what do you think? From now on will you be known as Miss Elanor Gamgee?" The baby in Frodo’s arms shifted her gaze towards Linwe, blinked once then closed her eyes with a contented sigh. Linwe laughed, "I suppose she likes it."

"I should go tell, Rosie," said Sam.

"Yes, you should, and you need to take Elanor back with you. Rosie should be holding her daughter when giving approval of her name." Linwe reached to take the baby from Frodo.

"I don’t suppose you would bring her along?" Sam said nervously.

"Sam! Don’t tell me you are afraid to carry your own child through the whole to her mother?" Linwe was incredulous.

"I am afraid I will drop her, and you’ve already proven that you can carry her quite safely."

Linwe leveled a steady gaze at Sam. "Samwise Gamgee, you will take your daughter and carry her back to her mother. With no more of this nonsense of fretting that you might drop her." With that Linwe handed Elanor over to her nervous father.

"I will take her, but I can’t promise to not fretting." Sam turned slowly around then with extreme care walked down the hallway towards his and Rosie’s bedroom.

Linwe sighed as she watched them go. Frodo reached up to take her hand then pulled her down to sitting on his lap in an oft repeated movement. He held her close, nuzzled her ear with his nose making her giggle, then inhaled the fragrance of her hair. Summer, she always smelled of summer. "Was that a sad sigh I heard from you just a moment ago?"

"Yes"

"Would you care to tell me what causes you the sadness?" Frodo asked but he already had a good idea of what the answer was.

"I was thinking that I came so close to seeing you with that ‘new father glow’ about you. Maybe if we were having a baby you wouldn’t have to leave?"

Frodo kissed her temple and held her a little tighter, "There is also the chance that I would have had to choose to leave anyway, then you would have been left to raise our child alone."

"Maybe I will become pregnant again sometime in the next couple of months. Maybe that will help you. Maybe having a complete family to love you would be just what is needed to surpress the darkness for good."

"And maybe it wouldn’t. What if you hadn’t lost the baby, then what if one night I was caught up in a nightmare and I pushed you."

"That would not happen."

"It did happen. It happened one fateful night last June. You came into my room, you found me sleeping in my chair having a nightmare. You tried to wake me and I threw you across the room. I woke up to find you unconscious on the floor. The very event that led to our coming together could lead to my losing you, and if you should be happen to be carrying our child, I would lose that child too."

"Are you saying you are glad I lost the, baby?"

"No! It broke my heart. I wanted the baby as much as you did. I still had hope then that I would not have to leave. I had dreams of us raising our family along side Rosie and Sam’s. I would give just about anything to change what happened, to make it so we would be sitting here looking forward to the birth of child. But I can’t. All I have left is this time with you, and I do not want to take any unnecessary risks with that time."

Linwe sighed heavily, "I really do not like it when you are right and you have been right all too often of late."

Frodo smiled, "Yes dear, I know."

Chapter Thirty-nine

A tall slender figure stood halfway down a gently sloping hillside, looking up at a small figure sitting at the top of the hill next to an old tree stump. Merenwen sighed quietly to herself as she watched Linwe. Merenwen knew, would have known without being told, what weighed so heavily on her friend’s heart. Merenwen hadn’t needed the letter from Linwe telling the news of Frodo’s decision to leave Middle Earth and his wife behind.  Merenwen had known all along that this was the way it would be. Lord Elrond had known there had only been one choice that Frodo could make, but still he had insisted that Frodo and Linwe be made to believe in other possibilities. Always, Frodo’s leaving had to be kept as the least wanted possibility.

~~~~~

A light evening breeze blew the hair from her face. Soft, springy grass invited her to keep her seat where she was or to even spend the night. Linwe looked all around, soaking up the peace and tranquillity of her surroundings. Part of her wanted to go inside to be with Frodo. To not waste a single moment of the time they had left together. Another part of her wanted to stay where she was or even to take off walking in the evening stillness without bothering to come back. She wondered to herself how she had come to this. In her heart she heard the answer. Because she loved him.

She had loved Frodo from the very moment she had first laid eyes on him. Maybe even earlier if that was possible. She had dared to give of herself to him in anyway he would accept happy for each little bit but always hoping for a little more. Then she found her moment. She had an opportunity to convince Frodo to open his heart to her in such a way that he could never close her out again. All she had to do was give herself to him in physical completion. Linwe had given no thought to what the consequences of such giving would be. If she had she would not have known them anyway. When she gave herself to Frodo she did not know that he might one day need to leave his home behind. When he did tell her she agreed to go with him, without hesitation. She still would. Then she learned that she would not be allowed to go with him after all, but by then she was deliriously happy. She could not believe that Frodo would not find sufficient peace and strength to live out his life at her side. She had spoken to Frodo so bravely of being content for what ever time she could have with him, even if only a day. It was easy to be brave when she did not understand the depth of the sacrifice.

One happy summer was all that they had had. A few months of blissful belief that all would be well and wonderful. Autumn came, his pain returned worse than it had been before. Linwe knew that as well as Frodo had. She steadfastly refused to say anything of it. She had hoped that with the following summer they would be happy again. Surely they could get through the winter, every winter. Steadfast hope was challenged again. She became so dreadfully ill only to wake to the news that she had lost a baby she had not known she carried. With that news she had felt the loss of some hope. Frodo became ill again in March. Another black anniversary. Linwe’s hope slipped a little further. With Frodo’s decision to leave with the Elves, Linwe’s hope diminished to near nothingness. Linwe often questioned now the wisdom of her actions that night nearly a year ago. She could have walked away from Frodo that night. They could have gone in much in the way they had been each of them content with what they were able to share. Maybe that would have been better. Perhaps they would not be hurting so much now. "This is all my fault," she thought to herself.

"No it is not."

Linwe turned in surprise at the sound of one of the comforting voices she had know all of her life. "Merenwen! How long have you been there?"

"Long enough, my little one," she said as she took a seat next to Linwe. Hobbit and Elf shared a long embrace. Merenwen pulled back then looked deeply into Linwe’s eyes examining their depths by the light of the stars above. "It is not you fault. If anything your bold actions have saved you and Frodo much heartache. If you had left him alone that night to continue on living as the two of you had been then in a few months time you would be sitting on this hill top wishing you had taken the little time there was to love one another freely while he was here. Frodo would have shared those regrets. No matter what happens now, no matter where either of you go, you will always have the comfort of having given yourselves this time."

~~~~~

"What are you doing?" asked Frodo, his voice hushed and sleepy sounding from just having woke up.

"I am memorizing your fingers," replied Linwe as she continued carefully examining Frodo’s left hand.

"Why are you memorizing my fingers?"

"So that I will always be able to see them and feel them. I plan to memorize every inch of you. Every hair, every dimple, every crease in your skin. I want to be able to always be able to think of you and remember. Besides that, I am finding this most interesting as well. Did you know that there are tiny little ridges on the pads of your fingers and that the ridges form little loops and swirls? Look I have them too," said Linwe, while holding one hand up for Frodo to examine.

Frodo looked at Linwe’s hand, "They are rather interesting to look at. I take it you have never noticed these ridges before?"

"Oh, I think I have sort of always known they were there, but it is one of those little things that we all tend to take for granted. Like grass, have you every taken the time to really look at a blade of grass, or to examine the ground the grass is growing from?"

"I can’t say that I have looked at grass closely, but I do remember spending a lovely morning on a sandbar along the Brandywine, carefully examining grains of sand."

"Oh now that is interesting. Frodo, why don’t you and pack up a picnic then go somewhere to look at grass or sand?

"It sounds lovely, but tomorrow is our anniversary, we will be having guests here in the evening, so I would guess that there is plenty to be done around here in preparation."

"Not so much as you might think. Rosie and I got an awful lot done yesterday. There are some things that need I need to do this morning, but I can have those tasks and a picnic made up by late morning."

Frodo thought for a moment, "A picnic would be nice, but what about Merry and Pippin?"

"What about them?"

"Well they are arriving today; we should probably be here to greet them."

Linwe shrugged, "I don’t see why we should. Merry and Pippin have been coming and going as they pleased for so long now, besides, we don’t know when they will arrive. They tend to be a bit vague about getting places at certain times. Besides, Merry and Pippin will not mind if we are not here when they arrive."

"That is true. Very well, we shall go on a picnic this afternoon and give careful consideration to blades of grass and grains of sand," declared Frodo.

~~~~~

"Well, Sam have you any news for Pippin and I today?" asked Merry. Merry and Pippin had arrived at Bag End just an hour before. Frodo and Linwe were out on a picnic. Rosie had taken Elanor to settle in for a nap. Sam, Merry, and Pippin had retired to Sam’s tool shed to have what was now a fairly familiar discussion. "I have nothing different to tell you from what I wrote to you in a letter just five days ago, nor in the letter before that. And there has not been anything to tell you that is different from the last four times you visited. There appears to be only one thing the matter with Frodo and Linwe, and we know about that. It is the baby. They are still sad for the loss of the baby. They both want very much to start a family. If Linwe had not had the miscarriage she would be due to give birth about now." Sam heaved a heavy sigh, "I am starting to agree with Rosie, what ever the matter is with those mysterious scars that Frodo and Linwe share, it is something that is between them and none of our business unless they should choose to tell us."

Merry frowned in concentration, "On the matter of them having children. Has there been any sign that Linwe might be with child again? Has Rosie noticed anything? I talked with my mother about this and she said that Linwe would have been fit enough to conceive again a few months ago."

Sam looked at Merry in shock, "I can not believe that you have been discussing what is a private matter between Frodo and Linwe with your mother!"

"Oh well, we were not discussing Frodo and Linwe specifically. I was curious and concerned for their well being so I decided to ask my mother a few questions about miscarriages and things. Now, back to the original discussion, I am going to assume that Linwe is showing no signs of making any happy announcements of needing another wing added to Bag End. This leads me to wonder, are we certain that those two know what it is that has to be done to have children? "

Pippin giggled.

"I don’t think this is such a terrible thing to consider. We are after all, wanting to see to the best interest of two Hobbits who are very dear to us. As we all know it took a rather long time for Frodo and Linwe to conceive the first time. We have seen several months pass since Linwe should have been healthy enough to conceive and carry another baby, yet she is to the best of our knowledge still without child. We have all witnessed that Frodo and Linwe are at the very least affectionate with one another. We know that when a Hobbit lad is in his tweens, the lad’s father will tell the lad al he needs to know about what goes on between husbands and wives, and how babies are made. However, Frodo spent his tweens with Bilbo, who may very well have been too caught up in writing the tales of his own adventures and teaching Frodo Elvish to see to Frodo was properly instructed in matters closer to home, shall we say. What I am asking, is it possible that Frodo and Linwe do not know all that they need to and the first pregnancy was an accident."

"If what I heard, earlier today, is true, then we have nothing to worry about on that regard," said Pippin cheerfully.

"What did you hear?" demanded Sam.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" demanded Merry.

"Sorry, Merry, I meant to tell you. I heard it when I had gone to use the facilities. I meant to tell you, but on the way back through the square I ran into Diamond North Took of Long Cleave. You know I think she may be the sweetest lass in all The Shire."

"Yes, Pip, now am I to understand that you heard this today while we were passing through Hobbiton?"

"Yes"

"Well then, what was it your heard?"

"And who told you, if I found out Tom Cotton has been spreading stories he ought not be spreadin’ then I am going to have his hide."

"What I heard came from Rorimac Bolger. It seems the other day he was walking along side The Water, a ways out of town, when he heard some voices coming from the other side of a clump of bushes. He crept up to see who was there. If what he told his friends is true then I don’t think we need worry about Frodo and Linwe knowing what it is they need to do."

Merry smiled, "This is interesting. Sam would you care to elaborate on what you heard from Tom Cotton?"

"You never mind what Tom told me." Sam’s face was getting noticeably red.

"Didn’t you say that Frodo and Linwe were out on a picnic this afternoon?" asked Pippin, his face glowing with mischief.

Merry tried to stifle a laugh.

"I don’t wish to hear anymore of this," said Sam as he rushed out of the shed blushing furiously.

~~~~~

"Linwe, why don’t you put Elanor down on her blanket, while you eat," Rosie suggested. A small crowd was gathered in front of Bag End to celebrate the first anniversary of Frodo and Linwe. Gathered to toast the happy couple were Sam, Rosie, Elanor, Merry, Pippin, Esmeralda, Saradoc, The Gaffer, and the entire Cotton family.

"Elanor does not want to be on her blanket. She wants to be here at the table with everyone else. Since I am her favorite Auntie and it is my party then I get to be the one to hold the sweet Elanor Fair."

"If you are her favorite Auntie it is because you spoil her," chided Rosie.

Linwe shifted Elanor so that she could look into the baby’s face, "Tell me, Elanor Fair, do I spoil you?"

Elanor fixed a stern steady gaze on Linwe then said, " ah la la oooo ah!!!" then shoved a fistful of pulverized bread into Linwe’s mouth.

"Mmmm, thank you Elanor. You are a kind and generous little lass," said Linwe, giving the baby a squeeze and a kiss. "Oh dear, I think my little friend here is in need of freshening up. If all of you will excuse us we shall not be long."

"Oh no, she is my grandchild," asserted Lily Cotton," and this is your party, I will not have you risk spoiling that beautiful frock of yours by changing a baby."

"I’m sorry, Mrs. Cotton, but I am already up, and it would not be the first time I have changed Elanor today while wearing this dress. I will tend to the needs of my favorite niece."

"She is your only niece," called Merry to Linwe’s retreating figure. Linwe turned mid stride to look back at Merry, stuck her tongue out at him, then continued on her way.

"Oh, now that was charming. Frodo, your wife has lovely manners," teased Merry.

"At least I have a wife, which is more than I can say for you. Come to think of it, I have heard you on more than one occasion tell my wife that she would have been better off if she had married you," retorted Frodo.

"And so she would have too, after all, I am the future master of Buckland. She could have stood at my side as the head of the entire Brandybuck family. You, my dear cousin, only have this comparatively small hobbit hole and whatever scanty wealth that old grouch Bilbo left you."

"The current Master of Buckland would like to point out to the heir presumptive, that I have the authority to name another as heir to the title. You, my dear boy, could end up with nothing but Crickhollow, a house, that if I remember correctly, is still owned by none other than the same cousin you have seen fit to belittle. You know, son, I think I might reconsider keeping you as heir apparent. Frodo seems to have grown into a solid responsible lad. He seems well aware of his responsibilities and duties to family and community. I think he would make a fine Hobbit to take on the tasks of being head of the Brandybuck clan."

Merry snorted, "Pardon me, esteemed father, if I fail to feel threatened by your proposal. You could never name Frodo heir for two very important reasons. The first being obvious, the Brandybuck’s will never follow someone who does not wear the name Brandybuck. Second and most important, half of Buckland still sees him as nothing more than a terror who frequently set their live stock loose and freely consumed their produce and baked goods."

Everyone was laughing at this exchange when Linwe came out of the hole with a clean and tidy Elanor, "Well, what have I missed?" she asked as she walked across the garden.

"Uncle Paladin is thinking of naming your husband the next Master of Buckland," said Pippin.

Frodo watched as Linwe laughed with the others. He liked to watch her laugh. He liked seeing her surrounded by family that loved her. It assured him that she would

be well cared for after he was gone.

Dinner lasted about an hour longer. Hobbits could stretch a good meal for days if they wanted to. Towards the end of the meal, Elanor started to fuss. "All right, Linwe, now you have to give up your prize. She needs to go inside for a proper meal of her own then it is off to bed with her," said Rosie. Frodo did not miss the wistful expression that clouded his wife’s face. Their own lost child was never far from Linwe’s mind. Sometimes when she sat with him in his study while he worked, he would see her take her eyes from her book or knitting, look down at her own flat belly then rub it while sighing sadly. If she had not got sick, then they would likely have had to pass on the anniversary party, as it was too near to her time to give birth. Frodo once again wondered if he would still be planning to leave if he were now an expectant father.

As Rosie settled Elanor in her cradle for the night the others all pitched in to clean up from dinner. This was not difficult since every bit of food had been eaten. The musicians in the group got out their instruments to tune them. By the time everyone was settled once more in the garden, Rosie’s brothers got the evening’s music started. Rosie’s youngest brother liked to experiment with music, by having the instruments switch parts around, speeding up or slowing down the tempo, or adding flourishes to the melody. Then it was Merry and Pippin’s turn to perform. They played a Gondorian love song they had learned during their stay in Minis Tirith. They had played it on Frodo and Linwe’s wedding day. It was now Frodo and Linwe’s favorite song. Some evenings they would hum it to themselves while dancing in their room or Frodo would sing it softly to Linwe as they lay together in their bed.

The music took immediate hold on Frodo and Linwe. Frodo stood up, then without a word offered Linwe his hand, she accepted. Together the went to an open area in the garden. Merry and Pippin could feel something special in the air as the watched Frodo and Linwe assume their places ready to dance. Inspired by the moment Merry and Pippin paused in the music, and then started the song over from the beginning, with Pippin singing the words in his sweet tenor voice. The rhythm of the music started out slow and gentle. Frodo and Linwe’s movements were graceful as well as somehow shy. As Esmeralda watched she was reminded of the feelings she had the first time she had seen Saradoc looking at her with that first shy awareness of love. She felt Saradoc’s hand close gently over hers and new he was remembering that moment as well. The rhythm picked up speed, bringing to mind gentle smiles and holding hands in the first careful steps of courtship.

To really love a woman

Let her hold you-

Until you know how she needs to be touched

You have to breath her - really taste her

Until you can feel her in your blood

And when you can see your unborn children in her eyes

You know you really love a woman

As the music progressed, Frodo and Linwe’s fluid movements took those watching through the phases of new love. While their movements spoke of sweetness and innocence, Rosie was also had the strongest impression that she was witnessing something deeply intimate even timeless.

When you love a woman you tell her she’s the one

She needs somebody to tell her

That its going to last forever

So tell me have you ever really,

- really, really ever loved a woman

Just tell me have you ever really,

really, really, ever loved a woman?

The song came to its end. As the last note drifted off on the summer evening air, Frodo and Linwe’s dance ended with them in each other’s arms. No one said anything. They were mesmerized by what they had witnessed. Later each would recall other times they had witnessed such a moment between Frodo and Linwe, whether it was when they first met or were married. Frodo led Linwe silently away into the gathering twilight.

Author’s Note-Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman. From the Don Juan deMarcos soundtrack. I love the song and I could imagine it being played on lute and guitar by some love struck troubadour of Minis Tirith.

The song performed by Merry and Pippin, for Frodo and Linwe’s dance was, in my mind, Bryan Adams’ song

The music I describe for the performance by the Cotton brothers was inspired by a favorite CD of mine titled Untamed. It is a CD of assorted artists playing traditional Celtic with a contemporary flourish.

Chapter Forty

 Frodo got up from his desk, paced about his study for a minute then sat back down. He took up his quill to continue writing in his and Bilbo’s book, he paused with his hand hovering over the page only to put the quill back in it’s holder. He shuffled through the pile of notes on his desk, sighed, then got up to pace around the room again. Linwe watched this pattern repeat itself several times before she finally spoke. "Frodo, you are very near to driving me mad with all of this nervous fidgeting. Please save me some aggravation and tell me what it is that is on you mind."

Frodo sighed, "I’m sorry. There is something that I would like to tell you but I am not sure how I should go about it."

"If it is bad news, then it would likely be best to get it out in the open as soon as possible," said Linwe in her most reasonable patient tone.

"It isn’t bad news. Dearest, have you given any thought about what you might do after I have left?"

Linwe sighed and thought for a few moments, "I am not sure I understand what you mean."

"Have you thought about if you would want to continue on living here with Sam and Rosie, or would you want to move back to Brandy Hall? Saradoc told me at Yule that he has had someone looking after your parents house since your parents passed away, so it is being kept in good repair, and many of your neighbors are still there, perhaps you would like to go back there."

"Goodness, I don’t know. I admit I have not given it any thought. I suppose I would most likely stay here? I take it you have given it some thought."

"I have. I promised you on our wedding day that I would care for you. And where as I accept that in its way leaving is one of the most important things I can do in fulfilling my responsibility, I don’t feel that it is all that I can do. I started giving a lot of thought to what life might be like for you after I have gone. I found myself remembering how everyone responded when Bilbo left. Some of the things people had to say were unkind. Linwe, no one but those that are nearest to us are going to understand why it is I have left. They are going to talk about how I have abandoned you. For the most part they will whisper things when behind your back, but once in a while someone will say something to you, and that might be very hurtful to you."

Linwe sighed, "You are probably right about that; as if loosing you were not going to be bad enough, but to have to face all of that gossip."

"I have been thinking that there is away you could avoid all of that."

"How on earth could I possibly do that. News of your leaving will be all over the Shire and on to Bree as well. I would be required to never step outside the front door again to avoid the talk."

"You could avoid it by leaving the Shire yourself. Linwe, after I got word that Elrond would be sailing out towards the end of September, I sent word to Aragorn of my plans. I then asked him if it would be possible for him to arrange for your safe passage to Minis Tirith. I wrote to him nearly three months ago and I was starting to believe that my letter had not reached him when I finally received a reply three days ago." Frodo went to his desk and took what appeared to be a sizable packet of papers bound with a black ribbon edged with silver. Frodo returned to his seat next to Linwe then handed her the packet. "This is Aragorn’s reply. In his letter to me, he explains that it took him awhile to reply because as soon as he received my letter, and read my request, me immediately sent messages out to several others that he thought would want to know of my plan and my request. Linwe, these are letters inviting you to Rohan and Gondor."

Frodo sat silently as he watched Linwe open the pack of letters; letters bearing official seals of those who wrote them, written on heavy parchment or thick rich vellum. Some were written in an elegant hand, others in a less than graceful script. There was one thing the letters all had in common; they all expressed admiration, gratitude, and friendship. In letter after letter friendship for Frodo was being extended to her. Kind words to convey comfort and solace as well as to offer assistance and hospitality in anyway the writer could offer.

"I don’t seem to know what to say," said Linwe as she continued to gaze at the letters, deeply touched at the expressions of deep felt friendship and love.

"You need not decide right away. Whenever you may wish to go, Merry and Pippin will take you beyond the southern Border of the Shire then see you safely into the care of Aragorn’s and Eomer’s men. If you are patient Lady Eowyn herself will come to ride with you. Maybe you will be better off here with Sam and Rosie. All I wanted was to give you every possibility I could for you to find your own place of peace."

~~~~~

"Why are you worried?" asked Sam, "I thought you were the only one who wasn’t worried."

"Well, I was, but I’m not now, unworried that is. As I was saying, I am worried for them. Linwe barely talks to me now, but I can tell there is something on her mind. I ask her if she wants to tell me what is on her mind, and she will smile at me then say it is nothing, or she will come up with some trivial matter."

"I thought you had decided that what was bothering them was that they want a baby and don’t have one yet."

"For the longest time that is all I thought was bothering them, but Linwe would talk to me about that. She doesn’t now. If I ask her about it, she acts as though it were the last thing on her mind. I don’t think having a baby is such a large concern to them anymore."

"Rosie, love, you will have to pardon me for saying so, but that does not sound all that bad to me. Isn’t it better that they not be quite so worried about having a baby?"

"That isn’t all that has me worried."

"Then what else is there?"

"Well have you really looked at either of them lately? They look tired. Linwe keeps up with her share of the home keeping but I can tell that she barely has the energy for it. And...well... I don’t know what else. There is something that is not right."

"I will admit that Mr. Frodo seems a bit tired of late. Now that I think about it, I really don’t spend that much time with him throughout the day. Last summer he had taken to helping me in the garden. He said being among the growing things felt good. This summer he has spent mostly locked away in that study of his, working on that book of his and Bilbo’s. Now that I think about it, it is almost as if he is suddenly in a hurry to get it done. Though what time that could be is beyond me. "Sam, I’m worried for Frodo and Linwe," said Rosie as she sat rocking Elanor one late July night.

~~~~~

"OW!"

"Sorry, dear, there was a particularly large snarl in her hair." Frodo looked up from his task of combing out Linwe’s hair. She was chewing on her lower lip and her eyes had a distant look to them. "You know, if you are not going to wear your hair tied back perhaps you should consider cutting it all off."

"Mmm" came her absent minded reply.

"In fact, I was thinking you should just shave your head. Think of all the time you will save by no longer having to wash all of this."

"That would be lovely."

Frodo sighed. He reached up to touch Linwe’s chin and turned her head to face him. "Linwe, you have not heard a word I have just said."

"Yes I have."

"Very well, what did I just say?" challenged Frodo. Linwe only responded by glancing away and biting her lower lip again. Frodo thought she was adorable when she was looking guilty. "Now are you going to tell me what you have been thinking so hard about?"

"Yes, I believe I will." Linwe’s eyes narrowed, "I have been trying to figure out how it is that not so long ago you were working hard to convince me that I would be happy leaving here to live with the elves only to have you this very morning, convince me that I should go to Rohan and Gondor, to live among still more strangers?" Frodo’s face suddenly lost it’s smug expression.

"Oh… um… well… It is like this."

"Yes?"

"That, doesn’t make very much sense does it?"

"No, it doesn’t," Linwe wrapped her arms around Frodo’s neck and hugged him tightly, "but I thank you for using everything you can think of to help me feel better about all of this."

~~~~~

"Sam, what would you say about you and I taking a little bit of an outing? We could go walking about the Shire for a few days, like we used to do." Frodo and Sam were sitting over a chess board. Sam had learned how to play the previous winter and much to Frodo’s dismay, Sam was as shrewd of a chess player as he was at checkers. Linwe and Rosie sat near by sewing on yet more clothes for Elanor. Frodo and Sam believed that the child should have enough clothing to keep her suitably dressed until she was well into her tweens, and commented as such, Linwe and Rosie had merely looked at them with pity.

"Go away? I am not sure that is such a good idea, Mr. Frodo. What of our responsibilities here?"

"I think it is a wonderful idea," said Rosie, "Linwe, Elanor and I will be able to get along on our own for a few days. When were you thinking of going?"

"Not until mid September at the latest. You see, I was actually thinking I would very much like to go see Bilbo. I thought that September would be a good time to travel. Sam could go with me as far as Bree, and then I would make the rest of the way on my own. I figured it would take me about two to three weeks to get to Rivendell. I would spend about six weeks visiting there. I could then be home well in time for Yule."

"You would leave Linwe for that long? Then there is the journey itself, there is no easy road to Rivendell. I don’t think this is a good idea Mr. Frodo. Walking all about the Shire for days on end was all well and good when we were bachelors, but we have wives to think of now, and I have a daughter as well."

"You would not be gone more than a week, Sam, Rosie and Linwe could manage well enough without us for that long."

"That may be but what about your plan to leave Linwe behind for at least two and a half months?"

"It was I who came up with the plan," said Linwe.

"If you think is such a good idea, then how come you are not going with him? I know you want to see Rivendell."

"Linwe doesn’t feel up to making this trip," answered Frodo.

Sam looked even more suspicious. "Why doesn’t she feel up to it? Is there something the matter?"

"There is nothing the matter with me, Sam, other than I don’t really think I am up to what would be a demanding and long journey. I am only trying to be practical."

"Practical would be neither of you going, least wise not until next summer."

"Sam, you know that this is likely to be my last chance to visit with Bilbo. I will not be gone that long, and you know Lord Elrond is likely to see that I am escorted safely back. I thought having you a long on the first part of the trip would round things out nicely. Rosie and Linwe have both given their approval. Please Sam, just one more short trip."

Sam looked at Frodo and remembered the rambles of several years before. Maybe if Frodo was once again feeling the need to wander it was a sign that he was healing that much more from the wounds of the quest. Sam wanted to encourage that healing in anyway he could. "Very well, Mr. Frodo." .

~~~~~

"Frodo, if you are going to Rivendell then I think Pippin and I should come along with you," said Merry. It was the second week of August. Merry and Pippin had come to Bag End for another visit. Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin were all sitting together in the garden having a smoke.

"No, Merry, I would rather make this visit on my own, if you don’t mind."

"We do mind. It is not wise to travel all the way to Rivendell by yourself."

"But I will not be alone. I have already arranged for a guide."

"Humph, well I suppose that is all right then. But don’t be gone any longer then necessary."

~~~~~

"You are leaving the day before our birthdays?" cried Linwe, "Frodo, how could you?"

"Linwe, it will be for the best," said Frodo, keeping his voice low and calm.

"How can it be for the best? It is bad enough that you are leaving me forever. Now you are adding to that you will be leaving me the day before our birthday. I thought we would at least have that one last special day to share."

"If I put off leaving until the day after our birthday, how do you think you would feel and behave on the day of our birthday. Our friends would expect us to be happy. To celebrate joyfully. I don’t think either of us could get through that."

"Then tell them the truth!" cried Linwe. Frodo was taken aback. Linwe had never yelled at him in anger before. "What difference will it make now. You have had all of these months with your secret that I helped protect. They have never known, they have never guessed, so you have had all of these months to be with them and not be forced to face their mourning you before you were gone. Why can’t you tell them during the last few days what you intend to do? Then let us have our birthday."

"If everyone knew, what sort of birthday do you think we would have? Do you think everyone would cheer and dance? Do you think Merry and Pippin would sing? Our birthday would be a wake, Linwe. Is that what you want? If I leave the day before then we live with the memory of the last birthday spent together being one filled with love and happiness."

Linwe collapsed against Frodo in a torrent of sobs, "Why must you always be right? Why isn’t it that for once in all of this, something that I want will be the better way? And why is it that we seem to have been brought together quite deliberately if we are only to be parted so soon after?"

"I don’t know."

Chapter Forty-one

Frodo woke up well before dawn, on the twentieth day of September. In one corner of the bedroom he saw the dark form he knew to be his pack. He had gathered the few belongings he would take with him, the day before. Among the few personal possessions was one of Linwe’s hair brushes, the ruffled night dress she had worn on their wedding night, and a small portrait of her, which had been painted just two months before, it’s small case also held a flower and an ivy leaf that she had worn in her hair they day they were married.

Frodo had slept the night with his arms tightly around Linwe. Her summer fragrance filled his every breath. Maybe I don’t have to leave. Maybe I would be all right if I stay, Frodo thought to himself. He turned over the reasons for leaving. He feared for the safety of those around him, most assuredly Linwe’s. When he was caught up in reliving the pain and torment of the two dreaded anniversaries, he knew he would forget where he was and who he was with. Eventually he would strike out at someone and do them harm. But if he was aware of this then perhaps something could be done about it. Maybe if he shared with Sam, Merry, and Pippin, the extent of his lingering suffering they could help him get through those times with out doing harm to anyone. But then Frodo remembered the dreams. It was because of a night mare that Linwe had come to his room one fateful night. Caught up in the horrors that were flashing through his mind he had attacked Linwe, throwing her across the room. In the end the events of that night had come out well, or had they? If Linwe had not come to his room that night would they have ever come to declaring their true feelings for one another? Or would they have continued on as they had, very close friends, but nothing more. Would his heart be breaking as much as it was now? Could she have been spared the pain she now felt? If only I had never come home. If only I had stayed in Rivendell with Bilbo. If only we had never laid eyes on one another. Surely that would have been better. But they had. No sooner than Frodo thought the wish to have stayed in Rivendell, his heart betrayed him and had him recalling the very first moment he had seen Linwe, or rather recalling what little he could. All Frodo could remember was gazing at her. Time and place had become irrelevant. Breathing was unimportant. If someone had set fire to his clothes he doubted he would have noticed. All he had been aware of was her. Later that night, Frodo found himself in his room in the Cotton’s house. He had come back to himself to find the candle had burned low. His feet and body ached. Apparently he had walked into his room and had just stood there, lost in his thoughts of her. How long he had stood there he was not sure of, but it had frightened him. At that moment he had decided that Linwe should be avoided if at all possible. It had not been Linwe that had frightened him, but the feelings that erupted in him when he thought of her.

If he could turn back time. If he could relive the past to take it all in a new direction, would he? Frodo thought about it. He thought of Linwe’s smiles, her touch, the very fragrance of her reminded him of summer. Why was her summery scent so important to him? Why did it captivate him so? Because it was the scent of hope and the promise of all things good. His quest to destroy the ring had happened during the time that the world slept in the lonely silence of autumn and winter. It had come to an end just about the time that the warmth of spring was waking all things growing. Nothing bad had happened to him during the summer months. Two years before, summer had come to him while he was still in Minis Tirith. Frodo had been surrounded by visions of hope and a world truly healing as he himself tried to heal. Yes, many had died in the last days of the War of the Ring. But many more had lived. Friends who had faced nearly impossible odds had survived. He had survived. Good had survived. He saw all of that in that first summer after the quest. Hope had taken further beating when he had arrived home to find his homeland under siege. They rallied friends and neighbors they had known all of their lives, and took back their home. Then Linwe was there. Seeing her that very first time, had been like getting an early taste of the peace and tranquility of summer long before the summer months were due to arrive.

If he could turn back time, would he do away with all of that? Would he have done away with the peace and joy Linwe had brought to his life? The answer was no. Despite the pain that loving her then leaving her was causing him to endure, he would endure it all again and more. Sharing this little part of his life with Linwe was allowing him to leave his home with something more than just the reminders of past suffering and the taint of evil that still seeped through him. It was allowing him to leave with a substantial amount of the peace and hope that had been so hard won. Without Linwe, Frodo would likely be leaving with more of a sense of defeat.

Frodo held Linwe close, savoring the few quiet moments with her that remained, and immersed in the peace of knowing that for so many reasons, loving Linwe, openly and freely had been the right thing to do, just as leaving her would be the right thing as well.

Frodo closed his eyes. Inhaling the sweetness of Linwe. He closed his eyes and drifted off once more to sleep.

~~~~~

Frodo’s nose twitched. He smelled bacon and tea. He stirred. Suddenly there was a pair of supple lips firmly pressed to his own, moving in a way that he could not help but to respond to in kind. After several happy moments of this Frodo nudged Linwe just the slightest bit to stop the kiss. "Good morning, Mrs. Baggins."

"And good morning to you Mr. Baggins," Linwe replied with a sweet smile. There was a freshness about Linwe, first thing in the morning, that Frodo absolutely adored.

"Is that bacon and tea I am smelling?" he asked while tenderly pushing an errant curl from her face, simply for the excuse of touching her hair and soft skin.

"Yes, as a matter of fact it would be."

"Why, may I ask, do we have bacon and tea in our bedroom?"

"Because, my dearest love, I have seen fit to go to the kitchen and retrieve whatever provisions that I thought we would be in need of through out the day, so that we may spend the entire day in our room, alone."

"But dear, what will Sam and Rosie think?"

"Since you bring the matter up, I did get a chance to speak with them while I was gathering the necessities. Rosie is, as always in complete support of the idea, circumstances being what she believes them to be, and we being the couple we are, she deems it most appropriate. Sam on the other hand wondered why we were bothering to stay confined in our room all day when all of Hobbiton and Bywater now knows what it is we do on our picnics."

Frodo laughed, "Perhaps Sam has a point. It looks to be fine day, how about we take our provisions and go on a day long picnic?"

"Because by eleven we would have every boy from here to Took Borough watching us partake in our intimacies. I do not particularly care for an audience, thank you very much."

"You make an excellent point. Mother and Father taught me at a young age, to share with others, but some how I don’t imagine that they ever intended me to share the beauties and wonders of my lovely wife." Frodo emphasized his claim by pulling Linwe near once more to kiss her soundly.

~~~~~

By late afternoon, Frodo and Linwe changed plans and decided to leave their room to enjoy dinner with Sam, Rosie, and Elanor. Linwe had to admit to herself once again that Frodo had been right in insisting that they not tell anyone of his plan to leave. If they had, then this their final day together would have been marred with tears and arguments from their friends and family. As it was she and Frodo had been allowed a peaceful day together. The evening was spent for the most part cheerfully. Frodo and Sam had each packed for their journey earlier so all was in readiness for them to leave at dawn the next day. Sam had been concerned about Frodo making the long journey to Rivendell. Frodo insisted that he would not likely be a day out of Bree before coming across one of the rangers that patrolled the region between Bree and Rivendell, but still Sam was not convinced. Finally is was Rosie who offered the solution that Sam accompany Frodo into the wilds then the two of them could camp out until such time as a ranger came along to guide Frodo the rest of the way to Rivendell. Sam was not entirely sure of this plan either, as it meant that he was likely to be gone for as much as two to three weeks, but he finally decided he owed it to Linwe see to it that her husband was passed to a proper guide. He had made vows to be of aid to them both, in anyway he was able after all.

The evening chat between the two couples was kept light and happy. Elanor enjoyed getting extra attention from her father and uncle. If one were to look through the window to observe the scene they would have seen nothing more than a warm picture of family, with barely a hint of the deep sadness shared by two of the members of loving group.

Linwe wished the evening would never end. But to her expected disappointment it did. Elanor was tired out from so much attention, eventually she fell asleep in her Uncle Frodo’s arms. Sam and Rosie wished to take advantage of the early sound slumber of their daughter so Frodo somewhat reluctantly agreed that it was time she be put to bed but insisted on carrying her to her cradle himself. After tucking Elanor in under the supervision of her mother and father, Frodo said good night to Sam and Rosie. He gave Rosie a hug farewell, as he and Sam planned to leave before even she would be up for the day. It was when Frodo looked Rosie in the eye to say farewell that she got a glimpse of a deep sadness. Rosie shivered, certain that something was amiss, but clueless as to what it could be. She started to say something, but Frodo took her hand and squeezed it, giving her a firm look that seemed to ask her to stay silent. He then turned to go to Linwe in their room.

Rosie shivered as she watched Frodo leave. Sam had his hand on the small of her back so he felt the tremor. "Are you all right, Rosie?" Rosie turned to Sam with eyes tinged with sadness and fear, "Merry is right, Sam, something is not right. I know it is a bit silly, but just now, I felt as though I was seeing Frodo for the very last time and he knew it."

Sam pulled his wife into the safety of his arms, "I am not going to let anything happen to Frodo. If I have to I will see him all the way to Rivendell myself. However it happens he will get there well enough and no one there will let him return home alone. He is the ringbearer, and believe me there are a lot of folk in this world who would drop all that they are doing to guard his every step no matter where he went. Frodo will be back safe and sound. Who knows, maybe while the two of us are tramping about the next couple of weeks he will decide it is too far to go without Linwe, then return home with me. This time next week, you could be welcoming us both back."

Rosie smiled, "That is quite likely the truth of what will happen. I can not imagine Frodo willingly going for more than a couple of days without Linwe.

~~~~~

Frodo arrived back at his and Linwe’s room to find Linwe had set numerous candles around the room. Many of them giving off an enticing fragrance, that never failed to excite him. Linwe, herself, was sitting in the middle of their bed, looking most enticing in a gown made from a sheer fabric, allowing Frodo inviting glimpses of what was hidden beneath. A smallish parcel wrapped in creamy white paper and tied up with a dark blue ribbon, rested on the bed before her. Linwe smile, "I have a birthday present for you."

Frodo returned her smile, "And I have one for you," he said pulling out one hand that he had kept behind his back, to reveal a similarly wrapped parcel, this one tied with a pale pink ribbon, "who will go first?"

"Oh you must," insisted Linwe, "last year you gifted me first, so this year I get to gift you first."

Frodo chuckled remembering the frog made of chocolate that he had put on her pillow for her to find when she woke up, "I suppose that is fair enough." He sat down on the bed, set down his gift for her, and then took the parcel she held out to him. "Thank you," he said simply then leaned forward to kiss her. The kiss almost caused them to forget the gifts.

Linwe pushed him away, "there will be enough of that soon enough, right now, you need to open your present."

"Yes dear," said Frodo, then preceded to undo the wrappings on his gift. Within seconds, he removed ribbon and paper to reveal a book bound in blue leather. He opened up the book to find the pages filled with drawings of himself and Linwe together, or just Linwe, as well as letters addressed to himself, all of them signed by her. Tears quickly filled his eyes as his eyes skimmed over words of love, detailed accounts of special moments shared together, all of them illustrated with life like drawings of the two of them together. Frodo reached out to squeeze Linwe’s hand after several long moments he was finally able to speak. "I think you must open your gift now."

Sensing that there was more to the exchange now, then either of them had previously planned, Linwe picked up her gift and quickly removed it’s wrappings. Inside she found two items. At first glance both items appeared to be books bound in blue leather, matching the book she had just given Frodo. But one had a small clasp made of brass. She unfastened the clasp and opened up the cover to reveal a small portrait of Frodo on one side, and a lock of his hair set under glass other side. "Oh Frodo, it is so beautiful!"

"That isn’t all, open the other."

Linwe opened what was in fact a book. It was identical to the one she had given to him, with the exceptions that this one had drawings of just Frodo to go along with the drawings of the two of them together, and the letters were all to her signed by him and detailing his love for her and memories he cherished. "Oh my... of all things... I can’t decide to laugh or to cry," she said with a small chuckle as tears spilled down her cheeks.

"I think we both went to Nick Cotton with similar ideas. I originally went to him early last spring and asked him if he could paint a pair of small portraits. I had him do one of each of us, and he mounted them so that they would be easy for us to carry with us where ever we happened to go. A month ago he presented me with not only the finished portraits but the book of drawings as well. He told me that he had spent the better part of the spring and summer watching us when he could and doing sketches for the portraits and he thought I might like to give you the drawings as well. He also pointed out that he had included some blank pages so that if I wanted to I could write something for you. Now that I see your gift, I am guessing that Nick was working for you as well. It is just the sort of thing that Nick would think of, that we should each have a book of the other’s memories."

Linwe succumbed to her tears. "They are so beautiful. I look at the drawings and I could almost believe I could reach out to touch your picture and find it is actually you. Somehow I don’t think you will seem so far away now."

Chapter Forty-two

"Goodness, Elanor, do you smell what Mummy smells?"

"Oooo ah?"

"I was thinking it smells like burnt tea. I guess your Auntie Linwe is already up." Rosie walked towards the kitchen, carrying a happy Elanor in her arms. Rosie entered the kitchen to find that the air was filled with smoke. The table was covered with stacks of dishes and jars. Linwe stood on a stool scrubbing a shelf. "Linwe, Has it escaped your notice that the tea has boiled to nothing?"

Linwe glanced over her shoulder, "Oh, I am sorry about that," then went back to her scrubbing.

"Linwe, what are you doing?"

"Cleaning the shelves, they need it."

"We just cleaned them a month ago."

"They need it again. Then I plan to scrub every wall in the hole."

Rosie watched Linwe’s back as she continued her efforts. Linwe was scrubbing so furiously Rosie could just about believe that Linwe would scrub through the thick piece of oak that was the shelf. "Linwe, please come down from there."

"I need to get this done."

"Linwe, come down from there this instant!"

Linwe ignored Rosie.

Rosie set Elanor down in her high chair then handed her a wooden spoon. When Elanor was safely stowed away, Rosie picked up a towel to move the hot kettle away from the fire, opened a window, then turned back toward her friend. "Linwe, what is the matter?"

Linwe said nothing.

"Dearest, you are obviously upset. Will you not tell me what is the matter?"

Linwe only started scrubbing faster and harder.

"Is this because Frodo has left? I know you will miss him, but the weeks will pass quickly. Before you know the time has past he will be home again."

Linwe suddenly froze.

To Rosie it looked as though every muscle in Linwe’s body must be stone ridged. Rosie reached out to lay her hand on Linwe’s arm. "Linwe, please talk to me. You are starting to scare me."

Linwe slowly turned to look down at Rosie. Tears spilled down Linwe’s face.

"He’s.... He’s..."

"Linwe, you must calm down." The tension left Linwe’s body all at once. Rosie managed to get hold of Linwe and keep her from falling off the stool. It was only with Rosie’s support that Linwe managed to remain standing when her feet were once again on the floor. Rosie kept her arms around Linwe, while at the same time trying to keep enough distance so that she could see Linwe’s face.

"He’s..."

"He who? Is there something the matter with Frodo?"

Linwe only nodded her head. Her breath was starting to come in great heaving sobs

"What is it? What is wrong with Frodo?"

"He’s... He’s..." That harder Linwe fought to surpress the sobs the stronger they seemed to become.

"Linwe, what ever is the matter? Do you need me to have someone go after Frodo? Dear heart, if something is wrong then we can send a rider after him. He can not be far down the road."

Linwe could not answer. She could barely breath. She felt as though her heart had been ripped from her. She hurt so much. How was it possible to still be alive with such complete heart break? How would she endure it to the next moment.

Rosie felt her own emotions starting to become frantic as she took in Linwe’s apparent battle with utter despair. What ever could be hurting her so? What aside from Frodo’s death could have this effect on her. "Linwe, I have to run down to New Row. I am going to have one of my brothers ride out after Frodo and Sam. We can have them back here in just a couple of hours.

Linwe reached up to take a tight hold on Rosie’s arms and started to shake her head furiously. "N-no... NO!"

"Linwe, you are not well, Frodo will want to be here. Now please calm down, I will be right back."

"NO!"

"Linwe, I have to!"

"He’s... He’s... He’s..."

"He’s what? I do not understand?"

"He’s..." Linwe heaved one last time. Forcing herself to take slow deep breaths, she calmed herself enough to speak, "Gone! Rosie, he’s gone!"

"Yes, darling, I know. But he will not be gone that long. In fact he can be back today. I am sure Frodo will not mind."

"You don’t understand!" sobbed Linwe.

"What do I not understand? I can’t know if you don’t tell me."

"He’s gone. Frodo’s gone. He’s... not ... ever ... coming ... BACK!" Linwe fought to suppress the sobs that were threatening to overcome her again.

"Of course he is coming back. Linwe, Frodo will be fine, he will make it to Rivendell then home again just fine. You know the Elves will not let anything happen to him."

Linwe sobbed for several long moments before getting some control over herself, "He isn’t going to Rivendell. He is going to the Grey Havens. Rosie, Frodo is leaving with the Elves!"

"I don’t understand," said Rosie in a shocked quiet voice, "Linwe, I thought the Elves were leaving, never to return to Middle Earth."

"And so is Frodo!"

Rosie was silent as she absorbed what she had just been told. "But why?"

"He... He still hurts," Linwe fought to keep her breathing slow and even, "The wounds never fully healed. The longer he stays in Middle Earth the worse it gets. He feared hurting me. Oh, Rosie! He is hurting so much!" Linwe lost her battle with her emotions. Just before she crumpled to the floor overcome by her grief, Rosie was at Linwe’s side guiding her to a chair. Linwe sat sobbing. Rosie bustled about the kitchen, first getting Linwe a cold mug of water, then putting a fresh kettle of water on for tea. Taking a cold damp cloth, Rosie went back to Linwe’s side and pressed the cloth to her forehead. Linwe turned and wrapped her arms around Rosie. With her face buried in Rosie’s apron Linwe cried.

When Linwe’s sobs finally subsided Rosie pulled back, wiped Linwe’s face with the cloth, "Do you think you can tell me everything, while I fix you some tea?"

Linwe nodded, "Yes, I think so."

"Sam told me that Frodo had been invited to leave with the Elves while they were still in Minis Tirith. He and I both assumed that when you two decided to get married that Frodo was well enough to stay."

Linwe sniffed, "Frodo and I thought the same ourselves."

"Very well then, Frodo’s wounds are too deep to allow him to stay, but why have you not gone with him?"

"Because Lord Elrond forbids it," Linwe said quietly.

Rosie kept struggled to keep the sudden flare of anger she felt for the Elf Lord from showing itself in the tone of her voice. "Lord Elrond forbids it. When were you informed of this?"

"Do you remember meeting Merenwen on our way to Buckland for our wedding?"

"Yes"

"She took us aside to speak with us alone."

"Yes, I remember that, when you and Frodo came back you both seemed a bit upset. Frodo more than you, I think."

"That was because she had just told us that if we were to marry then Frodo decided that he must go with the Elves, I would not be permitted to go. Lord Elrond himself has said this would not be permitted."

"I don’t understand. How did Lord Elrond know about you? How did he know that you and Frodo might marry when the two of you had only come to the decision a few days ago yourself? You were only aware of the possibility for a few days."

"Merenwen told him."

"Why did she tell him? Why would Merenwen think to tell him to begin with? It isn’t as though he knows you. Did he even know you existed?"

"Yes, he knew I existed. Lord Elrond learned of my presence in the world shortly after I was born. Merenwen felt, and rightfully so, that she was duty bound to tell Lord Elrond of her efforts to help my mother have a baby. Lord Elrond was not pleased by this but Merenwen refused to take her help and friendship from my mother and father. Lord Elrond asked that she tell him if her efforts were a success. Merenwen did, once in a while after, he would inquire as to how I was fairing but for the most part ignored my existence."

"If he barely ever asked about you then why did Merenwen feel the need to talk to him of the possibility of your marrying Frodo? When she talked to him the possibility still had to be quite remote."

"Oh Rosie, this is such a long, complex story."

"I am sorry to say this dear, but it would seem that we have time. You have apparently been keeping many secrets to yourself. I think perhaps that it is time you start telling those secrets."

"Perhaps, but there is so much to tell. So many things are tied to other things, to explain one I have to explain something else first and still something else before that."

Rosie’s eyes narrowed slightly with a sudden insight, "Linwe would any of this have anything to do with those scars that you have that happen to match Frodo’s own?"

Linwe stared at Rosie in shock and surprise, "How do you know of those?"

"I found out after you became sick last winter, as did Esmeralda, Merry, Pippin, and Sam. When you were sick, Frodo refused to sleep. He just stayed at your bedside day and night. By the time Esmeralda, Merry, and Pippin arrived, Frodo was exhausted and filthy from not having bathed for several days. He was sent to the kitchen for a proper meal while Esmeralda looked you over. When Esmeralda came to the kitchen later, it was with the news that you had been pregnant and had suffered a miscarriage. I remember Frodo could only sit there in stunned silence, at first. He then went to the hearth here, took hold of the mantle, leaning against it for a moment, then he suddenly cried out in so much rage and pain as he swept all the dishes from the mantle. He started to move towards the corner cupboard but Merry got to him first. Frodo collapsed in Merry’s arms. Esmeralda forced Frodo to take a strong sleeping drought. After that, Merry carried Frodo back to your room. Merry had just finished with undressing Frodo and cleaning him up a bit when Esme came into the room to check on both of you. When she was looking Frodo over she noticed one of his scars. She thought it looked familiar but could not remember where she had seen it. A few minutes later as she was about to leave the room, she turned to take one last glance at you and Frodo. It was then she noticed that the two of you were lying in nearly the exact same position. She kept looking at you, she thinks she saw the two of you move your heads in the same way at the same time, but the movement was so subtle that she was not sure. Esme said that all of a sudden she found herself thinking of the night you collapsed at Brandy Hall just days after arriving there with your parents. Esme went to your side, pulled aside your gown to reveal the scar on your shoulder, then called Merry over to look at it. Esme asked Merry if Frodo had other scars from the quest and so it was they and then the rest of us came to know that you had scars that matched Frodo’s. I don’t remember which of the lads it was that immediately came up with the idea that you had some how shared in part some of what Frodo had been through on the quest."

Linwe blinked several times her eyes reflecting her disbelief, "I see, Frodo and I have not been the only one to keep secrets."

"No, dearest, you were not the only ones. The others, Merry especially, wanted to ask you and Frodo about the scars but Esmeralda and I forbid them to. We felt that it was a personal matter that the two of you wished to keep between yourselves, still, I wondered myself, I wanted to ask so often," Rosie paused, glanced out the window and sighed, "I have so often felt that there was this secret part of you. It seemed the more I got to know you, the closer we became, the more it became clear that there was a part of yourself that you were keeping carefully hidden. I wanted so much to understand what that was but I knew I could not ask, that is I could not until now. Linwe, don’t you think it is time you tell me everything?"

Linwe spent the better part of that day telling all that she had with held from Rosie over the last couple of years. Of the ‘Lost Spells’, the truth of the seeming illnesses suffered at Brandy Hall, and of Merenwen going back to tell Lord Elrond of it all, "It was because of this bond between us that I woke one night and went to his room," said Linwe remembering the fateful night, "He was having a night mare. I could feel his terror. I went to his room and found him sitting in his chair by the fire. I went to him. Put my hand on his shoulder to wake him. His eyes flew open and were filled with a burning fury. With an angry growl he reached up and threw me across the room. I fell against the small cabinet that is near his bed. I think I hit my head on the wall. I fell to the floor. I know I hit my head on there. The vase that sat on the cabinet was knocked over so that it went crashing to the floor. Frodo said it was the shattering of the vase that woke him up. He awoke to find me lying there, unconscious. When I awoke, I sat up, the neck of my gown had slipped off my left shoulder. It was not but a few moments later that Frodo saw my scar there. I had no choice but to tell him everything. I didn’t want to. I knew it would hurt him and it did."

"But it was obviously for the best," Rosie said quietly, "apparently in telling him the truth the two of you were able to come to an understanding. You were finally able to share your true feelings with one another. I was so glad that you did. It was a good thing, wasn’t it?"

"Yes," Linwe said sadly, "it was. Even now, I believe it was, though this all hurts so much."

Rosie squeezed Linwe’s hand, "When did you learn that Frodo might one day need to leave with the Elves?"

"When he proposed to me properly. He told me that he had been invited to leave with them. He said that he wanted to marry me and take me with him if I was so willing. I, of course, agreed. Neither of us had any notion that for some reason that this would not be permitted. I was not aware that Merenwen had long suspected that Frodo and I would come to the point of marrying. I did not know that Lord Elrond had required that she keep him informed of how our relationship unfolded. When Merenwen told him that she believed Frodo and I to be deeply in love, and that it was possible that in time Frodo would accept that and that we would then marry, Lord Elrond for saw that Frodo would likely still choose to go on the ship west and expect me to be able to go with him. Lord Elrond made his suspicions clear to Merenwen and told her that my leaving was not possible. He said that in the event Frodo and I decided to marry it would be her duty to tell us of this one condition. Which she did."

"Was there any explanation of why you were forbidden?"

"No, there was not. I remember when Merenwen told us this, Frodo had asked why. Merenwen said that she could not tell us, but then went on to say that Frodo’s greatest chance at true peace was in staying here if he could."

"So Merenwen neatly diverted your attention."

"Yes, I suppose she did. She always was good at that."

"What I want to know is why? Why aren’t you permitted to go? What reason does this Lord Elrond have for forbidding you? What authority does he have?" Rosie demanded in exasperation.

"Frodo and I must look terribly foolish to you now," Linwe said sadly.

"No, dearest, I am so sorry. I did not mean for all that to come out that way."

"You might as well have, it is true. Frodo and I never really questioned why I was not allowed. Whenever we asked Merenwen she would say little then change the subject. We should have demanded answers. But it is too late now. Frodo is gone. I will never see him again."

~~~~~

Linwe, set her cup down on the table next to the bed then snuggled down beneath the quilts. It had been a long day. She spent most of it telling Rosie all that had been kept silent for so long. It had felt good to finally share the burden. Now Linwe felt exhausted and empty. At Rosie’s insistence, Linwe had fixed herself a cup of tea that would be sure to ease her into sleep. Linwe had been most willing, she wanted to escape into sleep. Escape the pain of waking. Linwe rolled over turning her back on the table and the now empty tea cup. She ignored the candle that still burned there. She knew that Rosie would be in to check on her later. Rosie could blow it out then. Linwe let it burn, not wishing to be alone in the dark.

With one hand she reached out to gently caress Frodo’s pillow, then she pulled it near her burying her nose in it, she inhaled deeply. Autumn, it smelled like autumn, it smelled like him, it smelled like drying fallen leaves. As she inhaled the fragrance she could hear the sound of rustling leaves. She closed her eyes, then breathed deeper still. He was there before her. He held his hand out to her. His maimed hand. He smiled at her. Linwe could see peace in his smile. A peace as she had never seen there before. A soft breeze blew by her, tugging at her skirts then ruffling Frodo’s hair. She heard the sound of dry leaves rustling in the air. She smelled their mildly spicy sent. A mist started to rise up, tendrils snaking around herself and Frodo. Linwe could only stand motionless and watch the mist rise, gradually obscuring her view of Frodo. She looked beyond him and to either side of her, coming to the realization that she was surrounded be a gray landscape. It was as though she were surrounded by fog. Dim shapes could be seen, she wondered were they trees? She looked back to Frodo, he smiled at her then turned and walked away into the fog and rising mist.

"Frodo?" she said. Her voice fell flat as though it went no further than her thought and lips. Frodo continued to walk on. Linwe could only watch helpless stillness as she watched him disappear into thickening fog and mist, followed by the restless stirring of autumn leaves in his tracks.

"Frodo!" she called again. Again her voice seemed to not carry. "Frodo, come back!" her call was only answered by the swirling damp fog. A soft whimper escaped her lips as cold despair filled her. She hugged herself and shifted her feet. She realized she could move. She wondered why she had not before. Had she tried? She took a step then another. She started to walk. Dark shadows in the missed loomed all around her. Trees, they were definitely trees. She continued walking forward, expecting to have her way blocked by a tree at any moment but the path remained clear.

"Frodo!" she called out once more into the lifeless air, "Frodo, where are you? I can’t see you. Come back to me!" There was no answer. Linwe’s footsteps quickened. Soon she was running. The trees kept there distance, never blocking her way, but the fog remained endless. Linwe ran without awareness of time. She called out again and again but still Frodo did not answer. He did not come back to her. She started to cry. Tears coursed down her cheeks as she kept on running and calling out to him. It was too much, it was hopeless. "Frodo!" she sobbed as she finally stopped. "Frodo" she said again as her legs gave out from beneath her. "Frodo," she cried over and over again wearily, having no more strength but for that and tears.

How much time passed in this timeless place, Linwe did not know. A sound came to her came to her, a chime that sounded of gentle sadness carried on the swirling mists. Linwe paid no heed. "Frodo," she whispered over and over again. Her eyes closed, her mind and heart sunk into deep despair, she did not see the light coming towards her, she did not hear the footsteps stirring of the leaves. She was not aware of the presence of another until a warm hand came to rest gently on her brow and she heard a voice say, "Be at peace my little one. All is not as it would seem." Linwe opened her eyes, the first rays of a newly risen sun filled her room, the room she had shared with Frodo. She turned to see a face as dear as it was familiar, "Merenwen, why are you here?"

Chapter Forty-three

Frodo opened his eyes. "Well, Happy Birthday, Mr. Frodo, and good morning," greeted Sam.

"Good morning, Sam, and thank you. I am afraid I have no gift to give you today."

"That’s quite all right Mr. Frodo, just spending this time with you is enough." Sam had let Frodo sleep in, then they spent a leisurely time over breakfast. Frodo said little. Sam allowed Frodo his silence figuring that he was likely thinking of Linwe on this, their fifty-third birthday.

Frodo was thinking of Linwe, but not just because it was their birthday. Frodo wondered where she was. All the day before as he and Sam made their leisurely way through the Shire, Frodo had been haunted by the awareness of Linwe’s pain. It had been almost more than he could bear but he had pushed on, it was for the best. When Sam and Frodo had stopped for the night, Frodo wondered if sleep would actually come to him. But as he rolled up in his blanket, the fragrance of dry autumn leaves filled every breath he took. Almost before being aware of it, Frodo drifted off to find himself in a fog filled landscape. Autumn leaves were underfoot. He could just make out the dim shapes of trees lurking in the fog. He looked all around him wondering at where he was. Then he heard a voice carried to him on the mists,"Frodo!" it was Linwe. He tried to call out to her but his voice was gone. Not a whisper would escape his lips. He heard her call again. He heard her beg him to return. He heard her crying. There was nothing he could do for her. All he could do was stand there, listening to her tormented cries and feel the pain of her heart break. Frodo did not know how long he stood there, it seemed like forever, it seemed like no time had passed at all. Then he perceived a lightening in the ebb and flow of the surrounding mist and fog. The light grew brighter, warmer, seeming to surround him until he felt he was shrouded in peace and calm. Frodo closed his eyes, savoring the contentment that filled him. When he opened his eyes once more he saw swaying branches over head with sunlight streaking through the leaves to the ground. He woke up knowing that Linwe was all right now.

The rest of the morning as he and Sam breakfasted and then started once more on their journey, Frodo’s mind dwelled on thoughts of Linwe, wondering at what could have brought her so much comfort when she had been so completely distraught.

~~~~~

Free of the sense of Linwe’s suffering, infused with the belief that she was truly well again, Frodo found his own mood lightening as he and Sam made their slow way through the Shire. Snatches of Bilbo’s songs came to mind. Frodo found himself humming them softly. As they made there way down the sun dappled road Frodo could almost believe that he and Sam were out on a short pleasure journey and that after a few days they would return home to Bag End. However Frodo knew this was not to be. As the sun started to slip down towards the horizon he became increasingly aware that the time would soon come to tell Sam some difficult truths.

Evening settled across the land. Sam’s mind dwelt on memories of the past, *‘If that isn’t the very tree you hid behind when the Black Rider first showed up, Mr. Frodo!’ said Sam pointing to the left. ‘It seems like a dream now.’ * Frodo sang softly to himself. As the stars began to make their appearance in the eastern sky, other voices came floating to them from down the path, Elven voices. Frodo knew the time had come.

Together Frodo and Sam waited as a pale ethereal light came towards them, followed by the appearance of Gildor, Elrond, the Lady Galadriel, and a drowsy Bilbo. *Elrond greeted them gravely and graciously, and Galadriel smiled upon them. ‘Well, Master Samwise,’ she said. ‘I hear and see that you have used my gift well. The Shire shall now be more than ever blessed and beloved.’ Sam bowed, but found nothing to say. He had forgotten how beautiful the Lady was.

Then Bilbo woke up and opened his eyes. ‘Hullo, Frodo!’ he said. ‘Well, I have passed the Old Took today! So that’s settled. And now I think I am quite ready to go on another journey. Are you coming?’

‘Yes, I am coming,’ said Frodo. ‘The Ring-Bearers should go together.’

‘Where are you going, Master?’ cried Sam, though at last he understood what was happening.

‘To the Havens, Sam,’ said Frodo.*

Sam sat in stunned silence. He had known for a long time this was a possibility, that the invitation had been made for Frodo to go with the Elves. However Sam had never taken it seriously. He always believed that Frodo would simply return to the Shire and resume his life of relative comfort and ease. A belief made stronger by Frodo meeting and falling in love with Linwe. It was coming up on two years since Sam was made fully aware of his pretty cousin’s existence in the world. Sam was honest enough to admit to himself that he had first loved her because she was the one Hobbit in all the Shire that he knew he and Frodo shared as a relation. But as he got to know her Sam came to love Linwe for herself. He could not have cared for her more if they had been brother and sister. Sam had been able to see that Merry and Pippin’s claims to wish to marry her themselves, had only been about half in jest. Sam had supposed that Merry may have been an acceptable match, Pippin needed only to be older to be a possibility, but in Sam’s heart the only person truly worthy of Linwe was the Hobbit he knew to truly love her most, his own, dear, Mr. Frodo. Tears filled Sam’s eyes. "I thought after everything you would be staying in the Shire. I thought when you married Linwe it was all settled." Sam looked at Frodo with pleading eyes, "Why didn’t you tell me, Frodo. Why didn’t you at least tell Rosie and me that you and Linwe would be leaving us?"

Frodo tried to take a deep breath, tears started to spill unnoticed down his face. "Linwe is not going, Sam. She must stay here, and you must look after her for me."

"What?" Sam cried out in shock," What do you mean she isn’t going with you. She is your wife. You are her husband. Her place is with you. I can accept that you can’t stay here anymore, but if you must go then Linwe must also. It’s only right!"

"No, Sam, she can’t."

"Why can’t she? By whose authority?"

"By mine," said Lord Elrond in a low, grave tone.

Sam turned on Elrond in fury, "How can you forbid Linwe to leave with Frodo? How dare you? Do you have any idea of how much they love each other? Do you have any idea of what they mean to each other?"

"Yes, Sam, I do. It is because of all that and more that I have said Linwe may not leave with Frodo."

"That makes no sense!" declared Sam.

"It will in time, Samwise Gamgee. I promise you that in time you will understand why I have acted as I have." Elrond’s words were spoken with a sense of finality that Sam knew would not stand for more argument. In desperation Sam turned back to Frodo. "Please, Frodo, don’t leave her. Surely you will be all right as long as you are with her."

"No, Sam, I won’t. I’m dying, Sam! If I stay I fear that Linwe will die with me."

"You can’t be sure of that. You made vows to her, Frodo! You promised you would always love her and care for her."

"You’re right, Sam, in that I can’t be sure that she would die with me. But what I can be sure of is that she will suffer all that I suffer. Linwe, feels nearly all that I feel, she bares scars from all the wounds I received during the quest. I wish I could stay here with her, spend my last days looking upon her face and feeling the comfort of her presence. But if I were to stay, Linwe would in truth suffer every pain with me. You are right, Sam, I vowed to love her and care for her, and so I shall. I will care for her in the best possible way I can. I will take myself away from her, sparing her a lingering painful death. I will go to the one place in the world where I might finally be able to live without the constant torment of the evil that still poisons me. I will live in some relative peace and thus allow Linwe to do the same. And I will always love her. Neither time nor distance can ever diminish all that I feel for her."

"It wasn’t supposed to be this way, Mr. Frodo," Sam said as he wept, "We were all supposed to go on living in Bag End together, raising our children together. I had hoped that one day you would have a son to marry my Elanor."

"I know, Sam, but this is the way it has to be, I have known this for some time now."

"This is why you and Linwe have been moping around, isn’t it? It wasn’t because the baby you lost it was because you two have known that you were leaving. Why didn’t you tell me?"

"I didn’t tell you because I wanted my last days with you to be without out taint of sadness. I did not lie to you, Sam, Linwe and I have very much missed the baby we lost. We both hoped that we might be blessed with another, but it wasn’t to be."

Sam sat sniffling, tears still trickled down his face as he let the truth of all that he had just been told sink in. He looked down at the ground beneath his pony’s hooves, then gazed up at the stars overhead. He ignored those around him, who stayed on their mounts, patiently waiting. Bilbo had dozed back off in his saddle and the pony beneath him appeared to have done the same. Sam pulled out a pocket handkerchief, wiped his eyes and blew his nose and turned back to Frodo, "What will you have me do, Mr. Frodo? Three years ago at the start of the quest I promised that if by word or deed I could help you I would. On your wedding day I vowed as your friend to be there for you and Linwe if as a couple you ever had need of me. Then with Merry and Pippin I made to Linwe the same promise we made you in Rivendell. It seems to me that if this is the way it all has to be then the time has come to make good on those promises. What would you have me do?"

Frodo smiled through his own tears, leaned over to Sam and hugged him, "Bless you, Samwise Gamgee, I know you will not fail me."

The party of Elves and Hobbits took their time riding through the Shire then on to the Grey Havens. Sam and Frodo savored this last journey together. They sang gentle soothing melodies together. Galadriel shared with Sam a song for him to sing to Elanor. Frodo at last told Sam all that had been in his mind and heart for nearly a year, and of the arrangements that had been made for Linwe’s own journey. Sam scolded Frodo for not allowing his friends to lend their support while he was faced with the heavy decision to go or stay. "It is true, Mr. Frodo, that we would all have been feeling continually sad knowing that you were to leave us. But you and Linwe were able to go all that time acting as though no such thing was to happen. Surely with such an example the rest of us would have been able to still be mostly cheerful ourselves. If you don’t mind my saying so, you went to all that trouble for nothing. Further more you have denied Merry, Pippin, and Rosie a chance to say goodbye to you properly."

"You are right, Sam, I hope that you will all be able to forgive me."

"It’s already forgiven, Mr. Frodo."

On the morning of the twenty-ninth the party arrived at the edge of the Grey Havens. Gandalf was there, waiting. Greetings were quickly exchanged. "May I suggest we move on?" said Elrond, "Our ship is waiting."

"In a moment, if you please," replied Gandalf with a twinkle in his eye, "I believe I hear someone coming."

The sound of hooves could be heard drawing nearer. The pace was fast, the riders urging their mounts to run. Everyone turned to see Merry and Pippin come riding up in great haste. *And amid his tears Pippin laughed.*

‘You tried to give us the slip once before and failed, Frodo,’ he said. ‘This time you have nearly succeeded, but you have failed again. It was not Sam, though, that gave you away this time, but Gandalf himself!’

Merry and Pippin climbed down from their ponies, Sam and Frodo were quick to follow, hugs were exchanged all the way around. "You know then," said Sam, "you know he is leaving and Linwe is to stay behind?"

"We know, Sam," replied Merry, "we know everything. It will be all right Sam. You’ll see."

"I am sorry I did not tell you earlier," said Frodo.

"As well you should be," said Pippin while attempting to sound stern and angry.

"I know. Sam has helped me to see that,"

"Don’t worry about it, Frodo," said Merry, "Pippin and I know that you just did what you felt you had to."

"Thank you, I did leave letters for you with Linwe. There are instructions in them, for you, but it would do me good to tell you of them now. Aragorn and Eomer have made arrangements for some of their men to escort Linwe to Edoras and then Gondor. All you have to do is take her south and stay with her until she leaves. If she will wait for them, Eowyn and Faramir would like to come and ride with her. I would like it if she did."

"Don’t worry, Frodo, Linwe will be well cared for," assured Merry.

"It is time to move on, Frodo," said Elrond. The Hobbits mounted up once more to take one last ride together. The road they followed wound its way through the ruins of a long abandoned city. Though plants and trees had long since grown wild, there was still a sense of presence of the people who had lived here so long before. Merry, Pippin, and Sam rode through letting their thoughts wander away from the awareness that soon they would be saying goodbye forever to their friend and cousin, to thoughts of plans to one day come to this old city to take the time to explore it thoroughly. Frodo tried to keep his mind away from the hard moment which was coming. He tried to take as much notice of his surroundings to commit them to memory as he could, but there was a chiming sound in his head. He tried to ignore it but it seemed to get stronger with each passing moment. With a sigh of resignation he started to concentrate on the sound. It was not an unpleasant sound, rather it was a gentle chiming which gave Frodo a sense of joyous anticipation. It made no sense to him, why should he be feeling happy as though he were looking forward to a particularly special party? He was leaving his home and family. He was leaving all he had ever known all that he had ever loved. He was leaving the one person that was dearest of all to him. He was leaving Linwe. He had left her. He had left her sleeping in their bed. His last memory was of her snuggled sweetly among the pillows and blankets, looking as though there could not be a single thing wrong in the world. Looking as though she would open up her eyes at any moment smile at him as she did every morning, making his heart skip. How could he leave her now? How could he leave her ever? Why was he hearing this chiming in his head that seemed to be trying to make him feel as good as one of Linwe’s smiles did?

Onward they rode through the ruins of the past. Soaring towers on either side swept up gracefully giving sense of flight. Then around a turn in the road, past a fountain long claimed by water lilies and frogs, then through an archway in a stone wall and the party found themselves looking out over the sea. Frodo kept his gaze averted. He did not want to look upon the vast ocean nor gaze upon the ship that waited for him. He did not want to think of leaving. The chiming instead in his head became even more jubilant. Images of Linwe, smiling, dancing, and laughing flitted through his mind. All at once Frodo felt he could no longer breathe. He could not leave her. He had to go back to her. There had to be another way. His place was with her. How could he ever live without her? Frodo had was just about to turn his mount when he heard someone say his name. "Frodo," said Sam, laying a hand on Frodo’s arm. Frodo looked down at the hand as though he did not know what it was. The bells were louder. Frodo labored for every breath. The hand on his arm shook him gently. "Mr. Frodo!" Why did Sam’s voice sound so distant. Frodo looked up at Sam’s face "Mr. Frodo! Look!" Sam turned away from Frodo looked out to the sea and pointed. Frodo turned his own gaze in the direction Sam pointed. There was the white boat waiting where it was tied to a stone quay. Frodo’s gaze wondered of its own accord down to the end of the quay and came to rest on the site of two figures that stood, with their backs towards him, looking out to see. One was tall with long golden hair and a flowing green cloak. The other figure was small wearing a crimson cloak and had long curling tresses that were unbound by braids, bows, or pins. Frodo gasped. The crimson clad figure turned. Frodo’s heart felt as though it had stopped. "Linwe!" Later Frodo would not be able to remember having climbed down off his mount. He would only vaguely remember running and being aware that Linwe was running toward him. Later on Frodo would look back on those few brief moments that seemed to stretch on forever and would remember how the chiming in his head erupted into a loud triumphant chorus at the mere sight of her, and that the moment she flew into his arms he gasped for air as though they were the first breaths of life, each sweet breath was filled with the fragrance of summer, the fragrance of her. "My Linwe!" cried Frodo tears streaming down his face.

~~~~~

Linwe stood silently next to Merenwen looking out to sea. Linwe waited. Her thoughts whirled over all that she had learned from Merenwen. All was not as she had been lead to believe. There was still hope. Her thoughts were accompanied by the music of bells. The bells told her he was drawing nearer. She had only to wait a moment more. "He is here," said Merenwen. Linwe turned around. There he was. There was Frodo. The one she loved most in all the world. Linwe gasped, then sobbed. Every emotion she had felt since she first laid eyes on him nearly two years before seemed to come crashing on her in that moment. All the happiness, all the longing, all the worry, all of the torment, all of the joy, all of the laughter, all of the tears, all of the pain, all of the loss, all of the limitless love, came crashing down on her at that moment and Linwe nearly collapsed beneath the weight of it. "Don’t collapse just now, my little one," came Merenwen’s quiet words, " hold fast a little while longer. Hold fast and go to him."

Linwe needed no more urging. Linwe ran. Linwe ran as she had never run before. Linwe ran with the strength of every emotion she had ever felt with him or for him. Then suddenly he was there. He was in her arms. She was in his. The power of emotions that had nearly overwhelmed her before then had urged her on now overcame her. Linwe cried. Her body was wracked with great heaving sobs. For so long she had held so much emotion under guard. Never wanting Frodo to know how much she hurt. Never wanting to feel the true depth of her pain herself. In Frodo’s arms again she could hold it back no more. She collapsed under the weight of it. She collapsed against him. She let the pent up emotions overwhelm her and with every breath she sobbed, "I’m coming with you! I’m coming with you! I’m going with you!"

Minutes or maybe even hours passed as the Ring Bearer and his soul mate stood clinging to each other weathering the storm of feelings that swept over them and through them. But all storms have their end. This one was no different. The clouds eventually parted. The downpour of tears dissipated to a light sprinkling. Eventually Frodo was able to look up, from where he still held Linwe tightly in his arms. He found that he and she were surrounded by faces wearing a mixture of tears and smiles. Then Lord Elrond stepped forward and did something unexpected, he knelt down on one knee. Frodo and Linwe looked on in astonishment as Lord Elrond then took one of each of their hands then held them together between his own, much in the same way Saradoc had the day he had pronounced Frodo and Linwe to be husband and wife. Frodo Baggins and Linwe Taralom Baggins, I apologize to you for the pain and torment I have had to put you through. You must understand that, Frodo, for your well being and for Linwe’s as well, going to he undying lands had to be kept the least of all desirable possibilities for you. I had hoped that once the two of you found each other that you Frodo would find the healing you needed in your home land with the one person you love most. I knew you would not leave Linwe unless you truly felt in your heart that it was for the absolute best. Frodo and Linwe, you have been bound together in spirit since the start of your lives and possibly even before. I have not the will nor desire to separate two who are meant to be together. You will both be given a place on the ship if it is still your wish to go."

Linwe stood a little bit straighter, held her head high, then in her most authoritative voice she said, "Frodo can no longer live in Middle Earth and as it is in every child’s best interest to grow up with comfort and love of their father as well as mother then I have no choice but leave with Frodo." Linwe’s words were met first with silence as everyone present let their meaning sink in. Only Merenwen looked on in quiet amusement. Frodo looked at Linwe. His lips moved. Sounds escaped his mouth. However there were no words. It was all too much. Too much feeling. First he was leaving her, now she was with him and going where he would go. It was all too much to hope for. In the absence of words Frodo reached up with his hand to touch her face. Savoring the soft feel of her skin beneath his hand he looked deeply into her eyes. After a moment Frodo sighed contentedly, smiled then kissed her.

Elves and wizard alike, looked on, happy to share in some small way in the joy of the two before them. Hobbits on the other hand could not settle for standing on the edges and looking on. Merry, Pippin and Sam quickly piled in around the couple, hugging them and each other, shouting congratulations and wishes of blessings and joy. Only Bilbo did not join in this. The old hobbit had sat down on a near by bench and dozed off once again.

Given the time the Hobbits would have celebrated a month and a day the impending arrival of the newest Baggins. But time they did not have. Merry, Pippin, and Sam bid farewell to old Bilbo, then Elrond led Bilbo onto the ship, followed by Galadriel. Merenwen then said good bye to the three that were staying behind, kissing and hugging each of them. "I shall miss all of you," she said. It was clear to all within hearing that she truly meant it. Sam boldly took hold of one of Merenwen’s hands then said, "You were there the day Frodo and Linwe were married. You know what we all promised to them. I would say it is up to you know to take our places and look after them once you have all left us."

Merenwen smiled, "I gladly take on that responsibility, Sam. I hope I do not let you down."

"I don’t believe you could," replied Sam.

Gandalf made his farewells. This proved to be a bit much for Merry, Pippin and Sam. It was saying goodbye forever to one of their Fellowship. For Pippin it was especially difficult. On that ride from Rohan to Minis Tirith, Gandalf had become more than a friend to him, but more of a wise and much loved Grandfather.

With tears Linwe started to say good bye to each of her cousins. "Tell me, Linwe, how was Rosie and Elanor when you left?"

"They were very well, Sam. I left them on the twenty-third, six days ago now I guess. You can tell them I started missing them as soon as I stepped away from them to ride off with Merenwen."

"Pardon me for asking, but does Rosie know you are expecting?"

"Yes, Sam, she knows."

"That’s good, she was awfully concerned for you that way, we all were. I am going to miss spending the next several months arguing with you over whether or not it is a boy or girl."

"So will I, Sam, so will I."

Linwe gave Sam a hug and kiss then turned to Pippin, "This hardly seems fair," said Pippin, "I did not get to follow you around and adore you near as much as I would have liked to."

"I thought you had forgotten all about that. For the last several months you have spent so much time staring at Diamond North-Took of Long Cleave, I sort of assumed that you had long since lost all thoughts of me."

"I could never forget you. You were my first love after all," Pippin said with deeply felt sincerity.

"I thought Iris Proudfoot was your first love," said Merry.

"Nonsense, I was only six years old when I fell for her obviously I was too young to understand that the nature of my true feelings for her derived from the pieces of candy the would give me whenever I went into her parent’s sweet shop."

Linwe laughed then kissed and hugged Pippin, "I am going to miss you Pippin. I wish I could be there if you should happen to marry Diamond one day."

"I’ll save a dance for you anyway and name a daughter after you," replied Pippin as he now openly wept. Pippin stole one last hug from Linwe, he kissed her cheek, then let her go to Merry.

Linwe had barely turned to Merry when she found herself swept into his arms and whirled around. "Unlike, Pippin here, I knew the nature of my feelings for you when I was a lad. I was in love with you then and I still am now, but no one else deserves you more than Frodo, here, and only you are worthy enough of, Frodo. Be well, little cousin," said Merry as tears slid down his cheeks.

"Be well, big cousin. I love you, too," Linwe then hugged and kissed, Merry too.

Her farewells said, Linwe turned and went to stand next to Merenwen who still waited on the quay to board the ship. Silently Merenwen knelt down then put her arms around Linwe, a gesture that had been repeated over and over again since Linwe was child. Linwe wrapped her arms tightly around Merenwen’s neck for a moment, then looked back to watch as Frodo said his good-byes.

Frodo turned to Sam after saying goodbye to Merry and Pippin, held Sam for several long moments, then pulled back, kissed Sam’s brow then turned to walk away. Merenwen stood up then and went on board the ship. Linwe fought back her tears as Frodo came towards her. He slipped one arm around her, turning her around, he paused for a moment to kiss her temple, allowing the relief of knowing she would always be with him now wash over him. Together Frodo walked up the short ramp to the ship. At the top they turned looked back and smiled.

~~The End~~

Author’s Note - (September 22, 2004) Happy Birthday to Bilbo, Frodo and Linwe.

Works in progress are...

 Far and Away, the tale of Frodo and Linwe's voyage across the ocean and the start of their life in the undying lands. 

An alternative ending to Enigmas- The Life and Love of Linwe and Frodo.

Thanks Everyone