This story was part one of a little four part story written for Marigold's Challenge 27. In the challenge I was supposed to use the four elements, water, earth, air, and fire. The story was to take place at 'bath time'. Since this portion of the story involves Bilbo and Frodo, I thought I would repost it here under "Baggins!" You do not need to have read the other three parts because this one is completely separate from them. Anyway, enough rambling on, here's Bilbo and Frodo at bath time when Frodo is fifteen...

Beta by Marigold

“Bath Time”

Part 1: Bath Time: Water and Frodo

Bath time was one of Frodo’s favorite times of the day under normal circumstances but today he had been a bit reluctant to go to the bathing room. Bilbo had noticed that the lad hesitated slightly and had wondered if there was a problem of some sort. Frodo was fifteen now and perfectly able to take a bath on his own. Bilbo had everything in order for the bath, the room was warm, and the water was nearly hot, which was precisely the way Frodo liked it. Bilbo had placed nice, soft, clean bathing cloths in the room along with plenty of bath soap. He had even prepared a nice cup of mint tea for the lad to enjoy while bathing. Bilbo himself always took a cup of tea with him to his bath and so whenever Frodo visited Bilbo provided his young cousin with tea as well. Frodo seemed fond of the ritual but for some reason, this evening was different. Frodo had sighed deeply and asked, “Are you quite sure that I require a bath this evening?”

“Well, I do think it best for you to have one,” Bilbo had said. “I will be having one after you and then we shall both be ready for bed and perhaps a long, exciting tale before?” Bilbo had winked at Frodo but the lad’s smile had been somewhat forced. Still Frodo had gone on to his bath. The lad was always well behaved while in Bilbo’s care. In fact Bilbo couldn’t fathom why some of his Brandybuck relations complained about Frodo’s behavior. Bilbo had never seen so much as a hint of trouble from the dear lad.

***

Frodo smiled as he carefully slipped into the tub. He had been unsure as to if he would be able to pull it off but he had finally managed it. The hot water felt wonderful as he lowered himself into the tub. Bilbo hadn’t noticed a thing. Frodo smiled and seated himself being very careful not to get his book wet.

Frodo had found a lovely old book in Bilbo’s study this morning and had found it so interesting that he had been unable to lay it aside all day. He had read at the table while eating, he had taken the book outside with him to read in the garden. He had sat in the parlor and read it avidly after his evening meal and now, he planned to read it whilst in the bath.

Bilbo had a hard and fast rule about reading in the bathing room but Frodo had managed to slip the book past Bilbo. Bilbo didn’t mind if Frodo read anywhere else but he was quite stubborn about his rule regarding baths and books. Back at Brandy Hall, Frodo wasn’t allowed to bring books to meals but Bilbo didn’t mind that and often brought one along himself. Bilbo also encouraged Frodo to take a book or two to bed with him in case he woke up and wanted to read. Frodo loved this about Bilbo. He enjoyed staying at Bag End and being allowed to read to his heart’s content. Tonight, though, with this book at a very interesting place and bath time coming when it did, Frodo had been faced with a dilemma, hurry through his lovely bath so that he could return to the book or slip the book past Bilbo and read in the bath. Frodo had chosen the latter and was now settled into the warm, soapy water with the book in his hands. Satisfied with his trickery, Frodo leaned back against the tub and opened his book.

Everything was going along quite nicely until Frodo heard a knock on the door. Frodo jumped and shifted about as Bilbo said, “Frodo, lad, it’s getting a bit late and I still have to bathe as well. Do hurry it along a bit will you?”

“Y-y-yes, Bilbo,” Frodo said nervously. He hadn’t realized how long he had been in the bath. Now that it was called to his attention he realized that the water was growing cool and that most of his soap bubbles were gone. “I-I-I’ll be right out,” he said and began to stand and that was when it happened.

Frodo’s footing was slightly off in his haste to get out of his tub. Normally, he would have had two free hands to keep himself from falling, but the book was in one hand and so as he lost his balance and fell over the side of the tub onto the floor, he lost his grip on the book. He heard it splash into the water as he landed face down on the stone floor of the bathing room.

“Frodo, lad,” Bilbo was saying as he hurried into the room and helped Frodo to his feet. “Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself? I could hear you fall from outside the room.”

“I-I-I’m all right,” Frodo stammered as Bilbo handed him a soft towel to wrap about his waist. “I just lost my balance. I must have slipped.”

Bilbo was looking him over and he frowned a bit. “Yes, well, you get dressed and I will see you in the parlor. Are you sure that you aren’t injured at all?”

“I’m fine, really,” Frodo said and as Bilbo left the room and closed the door, Frodo turned hurriedly around and began to search through the water for his book. Most of the soap bubbles were gone but there was a film of soap still clinging to the surface of the water. Finally, Frodo caught sight of the well-worn brown cover as the book bobbed to the surface. He quickly reached out and snatched it from the water.

It was ruined! Every page of the book seemed to have swelled up and the ink had run. The water had seeped into the book’s pages and saturated them completely. Frodo stood there holding the book in his hands and a tiny moan escaped him. He was standing there looking at the book when a voice asked; “Drop it in the tub, did you?”

“Bilbo!” Frodo looked up at his older cousin who was standing in the doorway frowning at him.

Bilbo walked over and took the book from him and examined it. “Ruined, I’m afraid. Most of the ink has been washed away and the pages will never dry properly. I do hope you had come to the end of it because you aren’t likely to finish it now,” Bilbo said.

“I didn’t mean,” Frodo began but Bilbo held up a hand to silence him.

“You need to get ready for bed now, Frodo,” Bilbo said. “I shall dispose of this for you.” Bilbo left the room taking the book with him.

*****

Later as Frodo lay in his bed, Bilbo sat on the edge of it and said, “Water is a very powerful force my lad. “It has a strange way of getting into things and changing them.”

“I’m sorry,” Frodo said. “I only wanted to finish the book. I never meant to spoil it.”

“I know you didn’t,” Bilbo smiled gently. “But now you see why I have this particular rule, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir,” Frodo said. “The book drank that water as if it were a bath sponge.”

“Yes, it did indeed,” Bilbo nodded. “Water is like that. If given any way to enter at all it will flow into a thing and fill it up. You don’t really think of books as being able to hold water, but they can if placed into water.”

“I don’t suppose that I will ever know the end of the story,” Frodo sighed.

“No, but you will remember not to bathe with my books, won’t you?” Bilbo asked.

“Yes, sir,” Frodo said a bit glumly. He suddenly brightened a bit and said, “Have you read that one?”

“I have indeed,” Bilbo smiled. “Excellent tale.”

“Then you remember it?” Frodo asked hopefully.

“I do,” Bilbo said standing. “I have read it several times in fact and know it quite well.”

“Then you could tell me how it ends after the lad finds that secret cave and goes inside,” Frodo said sitting up.

“I could,” Bilbo said. “But I doubt that my telling it to you would help you to remember not to bathe with books.”

Frodo watched his older cousin leave the room and close the door. He moaned and fell back onto his bed. Now, where was he ever going to find another copy of “Discovering Lost Treasure” by JoJo Overbank?

The End

GW 04/08/2006