Reviews (49)

Author's reply

This was a rarity to write, because for once, it actually wound up being shorter than I thought it would be, rather than longer. I was planning seeing more of Esme's investigation, but I just couldn't think up enough scenarios. Still, it works better this way. It needed to end on a happy note, considering that Frodo would soon be leaving Buckland and his Merry for good. Oh, Posy. :D That's really all that can be said about her. Piper is a favorite of mine. She's sort of a Sam-type character, so Frodo's relationship with her is a sort of precursor to what he will eventually have with Sam, and it explains why he's so comfortable telling Sam things that he doesn't tell anyone else. You'll get to know Gil better in "Darkness". :D When Frodo bares all, he really makes it an art form! I thought of making that longer, but then I didn't want to exhause Esme and Sara. lol Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

I actually manage to answer all the questions in this story, of which I'm very proud. :) Fendi and Morti are the resident tricksters. Every generation has to have some and they're it. Merry and Pippin are good successors to them. ~_^ Bilbo would make up water monsters just to impress Merry - and make Saradoc look more like a hero in his son's eyes than he already does. Merry's at that age where his parents (and Frodo) are everything to him and he would likely believe that Saradoc was the one who went and slayed the dragon if Bilbo told him it was so. :)

Author's reply

Hobbits, food and tales - what more could you ask for? Despite rumors of his madness, Bilbo is quite sensible about such things. You can't tell (or listen to) a story on an empty stomach. :) lol, I'd secure your toffees if I were you. This particular thief is quite sneaky.

Author's reply

Bilbo chose a good year to come for a visit. Had he not been there, things would have turned out *very* differently. And Menegilda was right, way at the begining of the story: if Frodo will listen to anyone, it will be Bilbo. His long years and his many adventures have given Bilbo the experience and wisdom to know just what to say to Frodo to convince him to give his guardians another chance. Hint taken. *picks up notepad and scribbles away* Thanks so much for reading and I'm glad you enjoyed this! Happy New Year! (hugs)

Author's reply

It's bad enough being upset, but to have to pretend to be happy and carefree at a birthday party while all you can think about is how upset you are is just about the worst possible situation to be in. Frodo rode it out though and however ineffective their conversation may have been, at least Frodo heard them out.

Author's reply

Esme has been steadfastedly denying the whole while that Frodo might have something do to with all this. Once others started saying it though, her suspicions became too much for her to ignore. The misunderstanding in and of itself might not have been so damaging had the relationship not been so fragile to begin with. Now it will be twice as hard to work things out, if they ever truly can be. There might very well always be a bit of mistrust on both sides.

Author's reply

Sam is such a dear. He may have only done so at first because of his Gaffer, but he would have soon made it a habit just for his own peace of mind. Sam is always looking out for his Frodo. *grins* Merry and Frodo may not have been as formidable as Merry and Pippin will later be, but it's a good indication of things to come. And Frodo is such a good older cousin, teaching Merry all the tricks of the trade. ^_^ Posy is such a prat! Why, oh why, did Esmeralda ever think it would be a good idea to set Frodo up with her later on is beyond me. LOL Esme must have been reaching the bottom of the barrel by that point.

Author's reply

Esme's going to hear some interesting stories with this assignment, lol. She knew it would be difficult, but it'll prove harder than she thought to get to the truth of the matter. Bilbo's having fun, though he does miss Frodo's company. He too is encounter something he didn't quite expect to. He understands that Frodo's at that age where he's starting to pull away from guardianship, but it doesn't make it any easier, especially since he sees so little of Frodo as it is. Wee!Merry was fun to write. He's such a good friend and companion to his cousin and understandably wants to be just like him. ^_^ Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

They were up to something, but not what anyone would have suspected. They must have been working on that gift for a long time. Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

I thought it would be interesting to see Merry on a sugar high for a change. He does get wound up, but he's still more manageable than Hyper!Pippin. ;) Have fun with the clean up. Hope your Xmas was wonderful!

Author's reply

Saradoc was a bit of a trouble-maker in his own youth. Being an older brother, he would have gotten Merimac to do any number of things that he himself would be punished for, but that Mac would only get a mild slap on the hand if that much. Bilbo knows just what to say to Frodo, doesn't he? He understands what it's like to be different and to be ostracized, but he's also learned not only how to live with it but how to use it to his advantage. He can both sympathize with Frodo and guide him through these difficult years. Sharing everything is a tall order for someone like Frodo. It may have been one conversation, but it did take him a few days to mull it over and decide it really was for the best. Then he goes and takes Bilbo a bit too literally, telling his guardians more than they really needed to know. But at least he's started and with time he'll learn what he can keep to himself and what he should share. Also, starting off with the smaller more trivial things will help him to build up to the larger, harder topics. Esme and Sara have always known on some level that Frodo would be better off with Bilbo. They had there doubts of course - Bilbo's journeys and wander lust would have been big drawbacks to them, and still are but for the desperation of the situation. Bilbo has a special connection with Frodo and they know that if Frodo is going to grow up to be a well-adjusted hobbit, they need to get him out of Buckland and with someone who can provide him both the security that he needs and the individual attention that he seeks. It will still be hard to see him go, and it will be hardest on Merry, who will really be too young to understand why Frodo has to leave. But as you said, he will survive and their friendship won't suffer for the distance. Thank you for reading! Happy holidays!

Author's reply

If Frodo told his guardians everything he did to innocent little Merry, they'd be there for a looong time. Saradoc is speaking as someone who grew up with a younger brother to pin the blame on for things, lol. In fact, I'm starting to wonder if it wasn't really him who was responsible for the goose incident. ;) But he is right that there is a difference between mischief and fun. It's sometimes a very fine line and learning how to walk it will benefit Frodo greatly. Bilbo enjoys a good, clean prank and his reaction would have been the same as Sara's and Esme's. He probably expects no less of Frodo. Thank you very much for your kind words and wonderful feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Happy Holidays!

Author's reply

Bilbo has a lot of years under his belt and he knows exactly what to say to Frodo to get through to him. It's hard for children Frodo's age to separate "monitoring" and "sharing" sometimes, for they often feel like the same thing. But at least he's started and he'll learn in time what he should share and what he can keep to himself. Thanks so much for reading this little story. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. ^_^ Happy holidays!

Author's reply

Bilbo's solution does work things out for everyone, except poor little Merry. Frodo will no longer be coerced to behave, and Esme and Saradoc will now be able to iron out their relationship with Frodo before Frodo leaves them for good. Knowing that Bilbo plans to not only take on Frodo but adopt him will make them feel more confidant about letting Frodo move to Hobbiton. LOL, kids sometimes take things a little *too* literally. Once Frodo figures out what he expects for Sara and Esme to tell them and what is ok to keep to himself, he'll back off of the sharing. He's just feeling his way through this rough patch. ^_^ Things will improve now, and should be more or less back to normal by the time Yule rolls around. Thanks so much for reading and for your feedback. Your reviews are always a delight. :) Happy holidays!

Author's reply

A happy ending all around! Frodo's not feeling so confinded and guilty anymore, and Sara and Esme can start to work on trusting him more. Bilbo has an adoption to look forward to and Merry has his Frodo back to his cheerful self. Thanks so much for reading and for your lovely input. I'm so glad you enjoyed this. :) Happy holidays!

Author's reply

Hello Beledi14! Thanks so much for reading and I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I haven't thought about the sequel for this yet. I have a few finished stories and ficlets waiting for posting, and then I don't know what I'll be writing next. The bunnies and my Muses must be off on holiday too. :)

Author's reply

*bows* Thank you! Thank you! *princess wave* *blows kisses* ^_^ It took a lot of tweaking and some major last minute editing to bring this story to a relatively happy ending. Things still aren't fixed, but they're on their way to getting back to normal. Bilbo picked a good year to come for a visit. Bilbo knew that taking Frodo away before Sara and Esme had a chance to resolve the rift would not only be doing them a disservice, but Frodo as well. Frodo's bitterness would have continued to grow, despite the distance, and even as a result of it. Three months still might not be long enough to get back to the level of comfort they enjoyed before these latest troubles started, but at least he will be able to see that he is loved and cared for, if not *completely* trusted. Poor Merry. Like Frodo, he has no idea what the future has in store for him, but unlike Frodo, he'll have nothing joyful to compensate his loss. I'm so glad you've enjoyed this. Thanks as always for your wonderful and insightful reviews. :) Happy holidays!

Author's reply

There are many factors surrounding Frodo's acting out, but this is clearly at the top of the list. Such horrible rumors would have opened old wounds and were quite a harsh rub. Bilbo has seen now that the best thing for Frodo is to get away from Buckland. It's not that Sara and Esme aren't able to care for him, there's just too many bad memories for Frodo to live their happily. Thanks so much for reading and for your lovely reviews! :) Happy holidays.

Author's reply

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, and Frodo's past behavior doesn't speak in his favor. Frodo is very much aware of this fact and that is the reason he is (rightly, though harshly) blaming himself, but that doesn't console him. Esme and Sara at least now have a stepping stone for putting that old image of Frodo behind them and will be better able to give him a clean slate (even if never a *completely* clean one) in the future. More than ever before, Frodo needs not only one-on-one time, but some personal space and freedom to not just do what he wants but to mess up and make mistakes as well. But he needs something else even more than that, something which only Bilbo can truly provide for him. That won't console those left behind, Merry least of all. Those Bracegirdles cause trouble everywhere they go, don't they. Thanks for reading! :)

Author's reply

It will be a sad day when *that* finally happens and yes, that is where this is going. Kids can spot a phony a mile away, and Frodo more so than most. Esme and Sara would have realized that early on and knew better than to rehearse any speeches. Even if Frodo did not listen to their words, he would have heard their intention and that might actually be for the better. He wasn't ready to listen to anything they *said* but he does at least know that they still care for him, even if he can't express that at the moment. He still has to work through his own feelings on the matter, but when he finally is ready to approach them, it will help to know that they are there for him and want to work things out. As I said in my response to Dreamflower, there are two reasons for Piper being here. One, Frodo was in desperate need of simple wisdom from an objective third party, and he learned long ago that Piper was the one to go to for such things. Two, the foundation of Frodo's later reliance and trust in Sam, another working-class hobbit of simple wisdom, can be traced back to this earlier friendship with Piper. My Frodo has always been more open with Sam than just about anyone, and this has a great deal to do with it. (Of course, there's also the matter that Sam is Frodo's protector, and though Frodo may not have been conscious of it for most of his youth and even early adulthood, he would have been instinctively drawn to Sam for that reason as well.) I'm so glad that you're enjoying this. :)

Author's reply

This wasn't a very festive party, was it? All these unresolved issues hanging in the air rather put a damper on things. I'm sure they were all glad to see the guests leave. The presents, as lovely as they were, probably only wretched the knife further in, for they couldn't enjoy the getting or giving of them, at least not yet. Things will likely be patchy for a while, but time heals everything, as they say. They just need to find their footing again. Thanks so much for reading, and happy holidays to you too. ^_^

Author's reply

Somewhere, deep down, he knows that Sara and Esme still love him. He's just having a little trouble seeing it right now. This rift is a bad one, but it's not unmendable, so long as they all try to repair it. Once Frodo finishes brooding, that famous Baggins stubbornness will show up and help him to work things out with his guardians. ^_^

Author's reply

It should be no secret by now where this story is going. It can really only have one conclusion, and Merry will be the one, in the end, to be hurt the most. He has many sleepless nights ahead of him. Hilda was the culprit by circumstance, lol. Doderic was born the year after Frodo turned 20, so the idea of her being pregnant and having those darn cravings fit in perfectly here. And she *is* a Bracegirdle. Everything just pointed toward her. Esme and Saradoc just feel so horrible about what happened, it would never have occured to them to *not* take the blame, and trying to shrug aside what they did would only have widened the rift. Besides, they know that Frodo is already blaming himself for everything, there would be little need for them to do the same. Bilbo chose a good year to visit, and he's been having his eyes opened more and more each day since his arrival. He's seen how strained the relationship between Frodo, Sara and Esme is, even prior to this latest development, and he's learned things he would never have guessed. Of course, this *is* Bilbo we're talking about. He already had a certain plan in mind when he showed up. Now, he's convinced that he must go through with it, though now it's for Frodo's sake more than his own. Ah, Piper. There's two reasons for her inclusion here. The first, because she *is* so level-headed. She's a voice of reason and Frodo recognizes that. He would have felt naturally drawn to her during the rough patches. She has a soothing presence about her also, that would help to calm Frodo when he needed it most. The second reason is that I wanted to show that Frodo's friendship and confidence in the 'working class' hobbits began before he moved to Hobbiton. This would help open the door later, when he befriends Sam and starts to share his secrets with him. Sam also has the same level-headedness and wise simplicity that Piper has, and Frodo would recognize those qualities immediately and be able to feel comfortable around Sam, as well as the Gaffer and everyone else. Good insight - how about first-hand experience, lol. Growing up in my house was never boring, which wasn't always a good thing. ~_^

Author's reply

Just having Frodo finally show up relieved Merry's worries a great deal. If Frodo weren't so wrapped up in his own worries, he might be able to realize that Merry is also in need of comfort. This must all be very confusing for Merry, since he doesn't really know everything that's going on, only that his parents and Frodo aren't getting along - again. From past experience, he can only expect that Frodo would try to take off again, and he'll be sticking to Frodo like glue whenever he can to prevent that.

Author's reply

It's a combination of thinking that Merry is too young, and Esme refusing to entertain the thought that its either one of her charges. They certainly have good hearts, and nothing but good intentions, whatever it is they are up to. Thanks for reading! :)