A/N: My Yule Gift to Queen Galadriel, since she said she wanted to see where this story went. I hope you like it, mellon nin! I was going to do a Yule/Christmas gift for some of my other readers and fellow authors too, but I got halfway through a story for harrowcat and my muse decided it would leave for vacation or something. So my makeshift Yule gift will be the next chapter of The Aftermath, I suppose. Merry Christmas and Happy Yule!

~Lessons and Practice: Part Two~

Frodo sat on the bench, trying out the keys to his new piano while he waited. It seemed rather simple to figure out, and he couldn’t wait to start learning songs. It was only fifteen minutes later when Aragorn returned to the hall with a young girl of about eighteen behind him. She bowed to Frodo, clutching a few hard bound books to her chest.

“Frodo, this is Shannon, the girl I said would be willing to teach you,” Aragorn said. “Shannon, this is Frodo Baggins.”

“At your service, my lord,” the girl said, dipping her head.

“Please, just call me Frodo,” Frodo requested.

Shannon smiled.

“I think I shall leave you two to work. I will return in a little while to have someone escort you home, Miss Shannon,” Aragorn said, bowing to them.

“Thank you, Sire,” Shannon said as the King left the room.

She turned to Frodo, tucking her short blonde hair behind an ear. “Have you played any instruments before, Frodo?” she asked.

“I used to play the recorder, quite well actually. But I can’t play that without a finger,” he replied almost wistfully.

“Well, then, the piano forte shouldn’t be too hard. Shall I tell you a little about the instrument, first?” she asked.

Frodo nodded. “Yes, please,” he replied.

“The piano forte is a relatively new instrument, as I’m sure you’ve been told. There was another instrument before it that was played the same way, but it sounded different. That was invented in the south and the people liked it very much, so they began importing them to Minas Tirith and other cities around Gondor. Then one day someone decided to experiment with different ways of making them, and the piano forte was invented. You see, this instrument has strings inside that are hit when you push the keys. On the other instrument, called a harpsichord, the strings were plucked when you pushed the keys.” She stood and lifted the top of the piano. Frodo stood up on the bench to look inside.

“See,” she pointed to the copper colored strings. “Those are the strings.” She shut the lid, and Frodo sat down again.

She pulled out a book and said, “Can you read music like this?”

Frodo looked at the page and nodded. “Not very well, but I can read most of it. The recorder only has the top line,” he said, pointing to a line of notes.

“The treble clef, right. On piano, that is for the notes you play with your right hand, and this bottom line, called the bass clef, is for the notes you play with your left.” She went on to explain a few things about the notes, and then started teaching him a few simple songs.

After about an hour, Aragorn came back. “Did you have a nice lesson?” he asked.

Frodo nodded, smiling. “Yes, very nice, thank you.”

Shannon grinned. “Frodo is a quick learner. I think he will be very good at this instrument.”

“Good. Thank you for coming so quickly.” Aragorn smiled, then signaled for one of his guards to escort Shannon home. Then he sat down on the bench next to the hobbit.

Frodo threw his arms around the King’s waist and said, “Thank you so much.”

Aragorn stroked his head and said, “You’re welcome, my friend. Perhaps you could learn a song that Pippin can sing to, and the two of you can play it for me sometime.”

Frodo smiled. “I’d like that.”

The next day Sam stood at the doorway to the anti-chamber, hidden by the partially open door, listening to the sounds of Frodo practicing his songs.

He felt someone behind him, and looked up to see Aragorn standing there, smiling. “Does Frodo know you’re listening?” he whispered.

Sam shook his head, blushing furiously. “No, he don’t. But I can’t help it. He’s so happy to be playing some sort o’ music again.” He grinned. “You did a good thing gettin’ him that piano.”

Aragorn smiled. “I’m glad you think so, Sam.”

A dissonant sound came from the piano, and Sam and Aragorn cringed. They heard Frodo mutter something in elvish, and then start the song over again.

“Come, let’s leave him to practice,” Aragorn said, leading Sam out of the room.

~Finis~