A/N: In this story, Frodo is twelve, which is the equivalent of seven and a half to eight years.
23 September 1389
The overcast sky only added to that dismal day. A young Hobbit lad stood by two freshly dug graves in the family cemetery. It wasn’t right that a lad so young should have to be standing here by his parents’s graves at only the age of twelve. In a single day, his innocent, carefree life was shattered and he was forever changed. Frodo Baggins stared as if in a daze, his young face looking much older than his years. Evidently he understood all too well what was going on. He had not spoken a word to anyone since the bodies of Drogo and Primula Baggins had been found three days earlier.
When Frodo had seen the bodies of his beloved Mum and Da, he had screamed and cried, trying in vain to rush to his parents’s sides. His relations held him back and dragged him to a spare bedroom. Frodo had struggled fiercely with his uncles and cousins and aunts. But that night he collapsed in his bed from overexertion and after that he had not said a word.
His two closest cousins, though he called them uncle and aunt because of their significant age difference, were deeply concerned. Frodo’s Unlce Saradoc and Aunt Esmeralda had loved Saradoc’s cousins Drogo and Primula and their son. Frodo had just wrapped them around his little finger with his winning smiles and sparkling blue eyes. But no more smiles graced his lips, nor did those blue eyes twinkle in that mischievous, boyish way. He shut himself up and would let no one enter his heart. The only hope had laid in the coming of Bilbo. Surely, this lad would at least open up a little bit for the "Uncle" he had always been so fond of? Did not Frodo always follow Bilbo around like a shadow, watching (and sometimes mimicking) every move? And did not those blue eyes sparkle with zest and imagination as he sat enthralled by the elder Hobbit’s stories? But when the old Hobbit came, Frodo did not even say hello. He just nodded to his cousin and looked at him with that blank stare. Bilbo had tried nearly everything, but the lad would not be moved.
Before the funeral, he allowed himself to be dressed by Aunt Esme like a rag doll. She wondered if he was even aware of her. But when she took his hand and she felt a return squeeze, she knew that he was well aware, and that now, in his own way, was looking to her for reassurance. Bilbo, Saradoc and Esmeralda all stood by Frodo, almost as if they were protecting him from the myriad of aunts, uncles, cousins and numerous other relations offering condolences. Saradoc and Esme did not miss that most repeated their offers to them as if they were his guardians. The couple also noticed that no one offered to take in the lad.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Frodo was safe in bed, and three adults stood about the fireplace in the sitting room adjacent to Bilbo’s guest room. The fate of Frodo was being decided.
"Well, we can’t just leave him without any one to look after him. He needs somebody." Saradoc said.
"You are right, of course. I would take the lad, goodness knows how that little imp has me wrapped around his finger. But, I don’t believe that I would offer him the care he needs. I think what he needs right now is a mother and a father. Not just a silly old bachelor Hobbit to fill his head with ‘unnatural’ tales." Bilbo added with a slight chuckle.
"You’re right, Bilbo. He does need a mother. Oh, Sara, why can’t we take him in? We love the lad just as much as Bilbo does. And besides, we’re his closest relations that are even willing to care for him. Poor Prim was your sister and my friend. We owe it to her and to Drogo to take care of their son. Besides, you know we don’t have children yet, but we want some. Frodo’s as good as any. In fact, he’s better than most lads. Please, Sara?"
"Esme, I declare! You are just as bad as Frodo himself at getting what you want! Of course we’ll take him in. Bilbo and I will go over tom...."
Just then, Saradoc was interrupted by the object of their conversation. Frodo poked his head in the door and sniffed. At first he looked startled, and then apologetic.
"Come here, dear. It’s all right. You don’t need to be sorry." Esmeralda said, perceiving his thoughts. He came into the room and clamored onto his Aunt’s lap. She stroked his curls as he laid his head on her chest. "Any thing the matter, lovie?" She guessed well enough, and she didn’t expect to get an answer. But to her surprise, a small, quiet voice whispered,
"I want Mum and Da." The hearts of the three adults melted at the first words spoken for days by this grief stricken lad. The voice was so broken and sad.
"I know, lad, I know. I miss them too. Shhhh. There now." With that, Esme began to hum a well known lullaby until her little nephew fell asleep. Saradoc made to pick up the little lad, but Bilbo whispered,
"Please, may I?" Saradoc nodded and watched how tenderly the old Hobbit picked up the exhausted lad.
*~*~*~*~*~*
As Bilbo lay Frodo down to sleep, the lad’s eyes sleepily and he mumbled,
"Da?" But as his vision cleared, he saw that it was not so. And like a deluge the trauma of the past three days rushed back to the twelve year old’s mind. He clung to the front of Bilbo’s waistcoat and sobbed into it. Bilbo wrapped his arms around the lad and held him close. He murmured soft words of comfort to the lad, but inside he felt just as helpless. When Frodo had calmed enough, the blue eyes turned to their unlce’s and he said,
"Oh, I miss them, Uncle Bilbo! I miss them! I want to go home, but I can’t, can I? Will you take care of me?"Bilbo pressed the dark, curly head to his chest.
"We all miss them, lad. And, I wish you could stay with me, but you need to stay with your uncle and aunt here at Brandy Hall. They love you, Frodo. As do I. I always will."
"I love you, too Uncle. But, I’ll miss you os. I want to go away from here. Why do I have to stay?"
"Because, lad, they need you as much as you need them. And I’ll miss you too. How would you like it if I promised to come see you as often as I can? Would you like that? And if you practice your letters very well, we can write sometimes too. Do you like that?"
For the first time, the lad’s eyes showed a spark of enthusiasm. A yawn covered up any response he was going to make. Bilbo tucked him in, and then, as if on impulse, he leaned down and kissed Frodo’s forehead. Frodo leaned up as far as he could and kissed his chin.
"Goodnight, Unlce Bilbo. I love you."
"I love you too, lad. Sleep well." He closed the door and then whispered quietly to himself, "I love you so much, Frodo-lad, so much."
TBC....
Copyright text 2006 Frodo Baggins