Hai Took
· 20 June 2004
· Chapter 11: Sunday, 25 Rethe S.R. 1289, Evening
Very lovely story! Such a sweet thing to write about: Frodo's adoption and Gandalf getting a room of his own! Merry not wanting to leave Frodo behing, poor little guy. I like that Bilbo caved first to Merry and Frodo's pleading! The way the boys inquired about Gandalf "Fireworks Gandalf", "Troll Gandalf" cute! I like the little glimpse of Sam, him and Merry playing is wonderful! Merry noticing that Sam liked to use "proper", a little fore shadowing of things to come? Bilbo not thinking to order bed sheets, typical ;) At least someone was able to remind him. Esmeralda being sad that Merry didn't need her as much, very motherly. I loved Frodo standing up to Lotho! That he doesn't on his own account but where Merry is concerned he will stand up to anyone! Very sweet, and one day Merry can return the favor! I'm glad Saradoc and Bilbo confronted the S.B's! Good for them! Gandalf's reaction to the room was very sweet! He now has some place to call him own! Thank you for such a lovely story!
Author's reply
Thank you for such a lovely review.
I had thought of telling about Gandalf's room ever since I came up with it in Conspiracy, And then, in a Chapter of the Week discussion on a.f.t./r.a.b..t., in a discussion of Moria, the idea was brought up that Frodo might have met Balin on a visit to the Shire before he went to Moria the year Frodo was adopted. Well, that all kind of fell together to make one story.
This one won't be too long; two or three more chapters, tops.
Gandalf is so right, it woud be nice to know the friendship of hobbits. This is a wonderful story just like all of your others. I look forward to more.
Author's reply
There's a little bit more, two, maybe three, more chapters. It's not going to drag on forever like a couple of mine have.
that was wonderful! I am so happy for Bilbo that his surprise was so well received and that Merry also got to see it. Now I hope the adoption goes well and that Merry isn't too sad about Frodo.
Author's reply
Merry is going to miss Frodo a *lot*, and vice-versa. But they will learn to adjust.
Bilbo, I think, is the kind of person who loves surprises. This one was a very good one.
Your Otho is the first one I have read that does not let Lobelia do all of his talking for him. LOL A new experience for me and I think I like it. Gives it more of a twist and makes it more interesting. Lotho and Lobelia were always the ones to do the dirty work in most stories, so I enjoyed hearing Otho have his say too.
Author's reply
Most stories have Otho being very hen-pecked or ineffectual. I don't know, I think he was probably just as nasty as Lobelia, and I'll bet he held his own with her. Here's my take on the S.-B.s: Lobelia, rude and self-centered; Lotho, a bully who wants to dominate others; Otho, slick and hypocritical; all three of them, greedy as all get out.
I am so glad that Frodo stood up to Lotho in this story. I do like a take-charge Frodo. I also loved how Merry was not backing down either, shades of things to come with Merry later. Lotho has no idea what happened to those Banks lads later on. LOL
Author's reply
I like to think that some of their future character has already begun to show. These two are very protective of one another; Frodo because Merry is his little cousin, and Merry because he knows how vulnerable Frodo is.
I think Lotho was pretty much always a jerk, a bully, a twit, a villain, a wretch--uh, I guess you can tell I never liked him?
I love the effect on Gandalf - always a wanderer, always alone - to be given both home and the inspiration afforded by Frodo.
And Frodo - a home, acceptance, the love of little Merry and Sam.
Really sweet story
Author's reply
We so seldom see anything from Gandalf's POV, yet we know that he had a deep and abiding love for his hobbits, and his hobbits loved him. I thought I would explore that a bit.
And Frodo is on the road to becoming the hobbit he will need to be, in order to carry out his task. Of the most important people in his life, he now only has two more to meet: Pippin and Aragorn.
Thank you very much.
Merry took that much better than I thought he would. Sara did a good job explaining that it was for Frodo's benefit and Merry can't really begrudge Frodo that.
Gandalf finally arrived, to a home of his own. I don't think even Bilbo knows exactly how much it means to Gandalf. He just wanted the wizard to be comfortable on his visits.
Fun chapter. Can't wait to see what else is going to happen.
Author's reply
Of course Merry's initial reaction was as is common with most young children: he thought it was his fault. But Saradoc was able to put it somewhat in perspective for him. It helps that Merry, even at this young age, has a deep understanding of his older cousin.
Gandalf has been a wanderer for so very long now; it has to be lonely, even with his friendships among the Elves and others of the Wise. And Bilbo wanted to make a nice surprise for his friend.
Bilbo? Do something drastic? No, not Bilbo. :)
I wouldn't want to be anywhere near the S-Bs when they find out that Bilbo adopted Frodo. Then again, from a safe enough distance, it would be quite an entertaining scene.
Oh, about Frodo's parents: is it written anywhere exactly when they died, or it this one of those things that we get to make up? Reason I ask it because I'm working on a fic and this is going to come up. I've never come across an actual date (other than SR 1380 as stated in the family trees) so have been under the assumption that it's up to the reader to guess the date.
Author's reply
You mean something drastic like disinherit them? Naww... 8-)
I have a feeling that after trashing Bilbo and Frodo up one side and down the other, they will start the "blame game" as to who is responsible for ticking Bilbo off enough to act--guess we know which member of the family will get that nomination. Lotho really should have kept his hands to himself. Of course *we* know it was really *Lobelia's* fault.
I have never come across anything except the year; we know that Frodo was twelve at the time. But I have always assumed the springtime, for various reasons. (Spring or summer seem like logical times for boating, and if it were in the spring, then the weather might make the water a bit more unpredictable.) I chose the last day of Rethe to fit my story. But I have read fics that put it in the summer or fall. Unless the info should crop up in one of the volumes of HoME, I should say you are safe choosing your own date for it.
I always enjoy the little nods to the quest that are in stories. merry saying they would go to Bree and Frodo knowing it would be so was very well placed. I loved how Merry was worried about giants, but became calm with the big folk once Bilbo had his say.
Author's reply
I like to put in a little foreshadowing of the Quest myself. Foreshadowing was something JRRT was so good at.
Yes, the sight of their adult calmly talking with these huge creatures as an equal would definitely have had a calming effect on his lads.
Merry's so brave, even at that early age, already protecting "his" Frodo. If Lotho didn't know who Merry was before, he will once Sara gets through with him. Frodo doesn't attack very often, but he won't hesitate to protect those he cares about. Interesting how you ended the chapter, with Frodo thinking he could never feel pity for Lotho, when we know in the very end he does do just that.
Author's reply
Merry would always protect his Frodo. Even as a baby, he protected him from his own dark moods. And Frodo is going to be just as protective of his precious little cousin, just as they both will when Pippin finally comes along.
Sara will not be amused.
Yes, I kind of put that in on purpose. Learning to feel sorry for the bad guy was a lesson that Frodo could not have known until the Quest.
Merry is such a gallant little mite - even at this size he will fight to protect his cousin. And Frodo will fight for Merry, but not for himself.
Lotho deserves everything he gets in later life. Nasty hobbit
Author's reply
I think Merry's protectiveness started very early on indeed, maybe before he was even a faunt--I think he always knew how vulnerable Frodo was. And of course Frodo will protect his Merry.
Nasty hobbit does not even begin to describe how loathsome Lotho S.-B. was. All the other villians in LOTR--even Sauron himself, had the Ring to factor in as part of a reason for their vileness. But Lotho and Sandyman had no such excuse--they were just evil hobbits, an abomination of nature.
You've done a wonderful job with Frodo's and Merry's reactions to the big folk. If I was Merry, encountering such big people for the first time, I'd be a little scared too.
Author's reply
Thank you. I try to keep in mind just how small a hobbit child would be. I mean, if the *adults* are halflings, then the children must be truly tiny. And meeting a full grown Man must have been intimidating, even if he was nice.
I thought it was so like Bilbo to forget the bed linen and curtains. I am glad that he had help with that part of his new room. He is going to need to build lots more rooms if Merry is ever put in charge of Bilbo's guest list! LOL
Author's reply
I thought it was like him, too, LOL!
Merry was just being a logical seven year old--after all, as he said, Bilbo has "loads of rooms". 8-)
Hey, Merry, why don't you just invite all of Great Smials while you're at it! hehe That was cute. Not a bad idea though, but a bit too much for Bilbo to take on with all he has going right now. Good thing Tina and Esme came when they did though; guys just aren't very good about thinking of things like linens are they? I'm sure he would have figured it out eventually, like when the bed arrived.
Author's reply
Little ones usually go for the solution that suits them best: he didn't want to leave, so let everyone come to him! Fortunately it provided Esme with the chance of a little ettiquette lesson.
Yes, I think he would have caught on eventually, but maybe not in time. I'm sure that Tina and Esme will have a chuckle about it on the drive home.
It's such a feeling of loss when your little ones start to grow up and don't need you so much any more. Especially when it's either your last-born, or with Merry, your only.
(Then, of course, they hit teenage years and become surgically attached to your wallet and your car.)
Good thing the females turned up and pointed out that beds need bedding. Bilbo would have been embarrassed to discover that just as he went in to tuck Gandalf up.
Author's reply
I know. I think the teenage years are nature's way of making you regret the flying of the nest less! ( You go from "Aww, my baby's growing up" to "Good grief, I can't wait to get the house to ourselves" ) LOL!
Yes, I can imagine *that* scenario. Probably would have given Gandalf a chuckle, anyway.
Dreamflower,
This was a great chapter. I thought it was funny the way Bilbo got so caught up in the building of Gandalf's room that he completely forgot about the linens. I can just picture Gandalf trying to sleep with hobbit size bedsheets. They would probably look more like bath towels to him.
Author's reply
Just seemed like a "Bilbo kind of thing". I could imagine him being that absent-minded. 8-)
Bilbo looked thunderstruck. It was clear that this particular aspect of furnishing the room had never occurred to him.
How like an old bachelor to think of the furniture but not the linens...lol. I love the interweaving of all the elements in this story...Bilbo's preparations for Gandalf, his decision to adopt Frodo, and Frodo and Merry's bond.
Author's reply
Just seemed like Bilbo, if you know what I mean. I'm glad you are enjoying the story.
We know that this is the year he adopts Frodo, and there are hints in the chapter on Moria that Balin visited the Shire before he went to Moria, and I'm sure if he did, Gandalf would have gone with him. Just seemed logical to me. And I always like exploring the relationships of the cousins.
I like the idea that Sam is proper enough and serious enough even at nine to watch out for another child. I love this so far and am thinking I may want to stay in Gandalf's room when he isn't using it.
As to the nomination for MEFA, I am glad you didn't mind that I did that. I just enjoyed that story so much, I thought others who don't visit this site much but read fan fiction should read it. I have my fingers crossed that it wins.
Author's reply
I think he would have been. I would imagine he probably watched out for Marigold a lot as well, though with her being a lass, it would not have been as much fun.
It's too bad we can't. Visit in Gandalf's room, I mean. Mean old Aragorn banning us and all. 8-)
And no, I don't mind a bit. I visited the website and saw the nominations. There are some *great* stories nominated there. I hope I can fix my yahoo problem and take part in the process. And considering the competition, it's an honor to be among them, win or not.
This obsession with 'proper' is very much a class thing, isn't it? Frodo and his extended family can decide to ignore it if they want to, because they are socially exalted - but the decision is theirs. They can accept Sam into their inner circles, but, certainly until after the Quest, the advances have to come from them. Sam and the Gaffer are there to serve, in the way that seems best to their employers - and the Gaffer, at least, never forgets that - and he is aware that what is given can also be taken away. I wonder if he was hurt in his youth: if a friend from the upper classes of hobbits dropped him when they got old enough for the differences in their status to show.
Author's reply
You are absolutely 100% correct. The problem is, that this is clear to Sam (and to his Gaffer) but not completely clear to the cousins. Of course, Frodo at least, knows all this intellectually, but emotionally it must still be a bit hurtful to have Sam hold his friendship at a distance. Of course the dynamic of it does change after the Quest, but lifelong habits are harder to break. I would imagine that Frodo was still "Mr. Frodo" even to the Blessed Realm, though I hope and believe Merry and Pippin finally broke him of it as far as they were concerned.
You know, you might want to write a story about the Gaffer. That's a nice little scenario you came up with.
Another wonderful story. I'm really enjoying young Merry, Frodo and Sam and the way they interact with each other. And Sam's already overused "proper". Little Merry will take it hard when they have to go back to Buckland without Frodo. Wonder what that temper tantrum will be like? It'll bring the house down.
Author's reply
I'm glad you are enjoying my little ones. This is my first attempt at young pre-LOTR Frodo, Merry, etc. so it's a bit different from what else I've done.
My take is that "proper" is the Gaffer's favorite word. Sam probably learned it about the same time as he learned to say Mum and Gaffer.
We'll have to see how Merry reacts to Frodo's move.
“Fireworks Gandalf?”
“Troll Gandalf?”
Love both of their reactions to Bilbo's news. Seems Bilbo's plans are coming along quite nicely. But then, there's Merry and the SBs to consider in all of this. LOL Trouble and adventure on the way along with a wizard!
Author's reply
I tried to think what would stick out in the youngsters' minds when they heard who the mysterious guest was going to be. My thought is that Frodo might actually have had a chance to see some of the fireworks when he was little, while all Merry knows is Bilbo's stories.
By the way, thank you very much for nominating "Conspiracy" for a MEFA; I hope that I can get back on yahoo soon and be able to check everything out! It sounds like a fun award.
Dreamflower,
I thoroughly enjoyed this tale so far. It's interesting how you've woven in Bilbo's decision to make Frodo his heir - I had been wondering how that came about. And Lobelia...a snobby hobbit if there ever was one. Good work!
Author's reply
We had a discussion on rec.arts.books.tolkien about the fact that from what Tolkien said in Letter #214, Frodo would have been the *only* hobbit on the Baggins family tree that would have been eligible to be Bilbo's heir, if the S.-B.s were to be disinherited. And in a discussion of Moria, it was pointed out that it appeared Frodo might have met Balin on one of his visits to the Shire. Lo and behold, plot bunny!