Disclaimer: The Hobbits belong to J. R.R. Tolkien and are not of my
creation and I make no money from this or other stories involving
them, this is purely a non profit fiction of my creation in honour of
the book & movies. However this storyline is mine.
Brandywine
By Mainframe
The shire had been experiencing one of the worst rainy seasons in it's history, it had been raining mercilessly now for four days, and had drizzled every day for more then a month; the three young hobbits were becoming restless.
Bilbo sighed and leaned against the doorframe in Bag-End, he watched them playing chase & catch nun to carefully around the Kitchen table. He had been writing for many hours and had decided to take a break. Frodo was it, but being the elder of the two he was going easy on the two younger hobbits whom he could easily have caught.
Bilbo had, in a desperate bid to keep Frodo occupied invited Merry and Sam to stay at Bag-End for the week. Hamfast had been more than willing to let Sam spend the week at Bag-End and had gratefully accepted Bilbo's offer, instructing his son to be on his best behaviour, after all there was no way that the gardens could be tended to in this weather. Infact to Hamfast & Sam's dismay they were now starting to closely resemble a pond! And no amount of channelling could stop the water from returning.
Bilbo could ill afford to spare Frodo the time he should, for he had reached a difficult chapter in his diary (The Red Book) and needed to concentrate in order to get events down in the correct order.
A smile crept across the old hobbits face as he watched his young charge play. Since the rain had prevented Frodo from leaving Bag-End for most of the month Bilbo had noticed Frodo had become very withdrawn and rarely left his room, preferring instead to read or stare out of his bedroom window, except when called to a meal, at which he worryingly ate very little. Upon inquiring if he felt ill, Frodo had shaken his head and quietly replied that he missed going outside to play. Bilbo had decided then and there that he would travel to Buckland early next morning and rescue Merry from the chaos that is Brandy Hall, and pick up Samwise on the way back as a surprise. Frodo beamed with joy when a rather waterlogged Merry accompanied by an even wetter Bilbo burst through the door, closely followed my Sam who seemed the drier of the three.
Bag-End had been chaos ever since!
Bilbo was rudely brought back to the present when he heard the breaking of glass and two loud thuds as Merry & Sam collided, taking the vase on the table with them. In their desperate bid to outman over Frodo they had smacked straight into one another. As Sam disentangled himself from Merry he stared in absolute horror at the remains of the broken vase strewn across the kitchen floor. His fathers word came back to him in a rush and he felt tears burn as he started to stutter and stammer apologise as Bilbo quickly made his way to the boys sides. Merry knelt on the floor next to Sam mute, chewing on his bottom lip nervously, eyes round as Bilbo carefully squatted in front of them.
"Mister Bilbo Sir…I so sorry I wern't lookin were I was goin, it's all my fault!" He chewed nervously at his hand-me-down, to big cotton shirt. Frodo placed a reassuring hand on Sam's shaking shoulders and then started to rub his back in circles trying to stop the lad from hyperventilating.
"It was my fault really Uncle, it was my idea to play this game and I should have know better then to chase Sam and Merry into the kitchen". Frodo said, lowering his eyes in shame and hanging his head.
Merry gave Bilbo a well-practised round-eyed stare (which he had found to be the best way to get out of trouble with adults) and apologised quietly to Bilbo and started to pick up the broken piece near him.
Bilbo ruffled his hair and told him not to worry and to leave the glass alone, before he cut himself! He then asked Frodo to fetch a broom and to carefully sweep the corpse of the vase from the room before anyone truly got hurt. Frodo complied and immediately set about the task. Bilbo wasn't mad. It had been an accident, an inevitable one but an accident all the same and he had no intention of punishing the boy's. Once he had gotten over the shock his face softened as he reached out and carefully pushed back the mop of golden curls that hid Sam's face. To the older hobbit's dismay the lad was silently crying.
"There now Sam. It's all right your not in trouble. You just gave an old hobbit a bit of a scare. Truly I'm not angry with any of you. Are you hurt?" he inquired.
"No Sir" He sniffed and slowly got to his feet. "But I broke your lovely vase and I don't rightly know how to fix it!" Bilbo couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him as he ruffled the Lads curly mob. He bent forward and quietly whispered into Sam's ear something that made Sam start to giggle and eventually blush trying to mind his manners. Bilbo glanced out of the window and smiled, and disappeared down one of the many halls in Bag-End. Frodo who had just finished emptying the vase fragments into the bin came back to find a very red faced Sam and Merry doing his best to look innocent away in the corner. Frodo smiled at his cousin and got one in return, Merry knew better then to try the innocent look on Frodo, after all it was Frodo who had taught him the trick when he lived at Brandy Hall. Frodo returned his attention to Sam.
"What did Uncle Bilbo say to you Sam?" Frodo's curiosity was more then peeked as he watched his young friend squirm.
"Well Mr Frodo I don't rightly know if I should repeat it, it ain't very polite to gossip". But eventually he crumbled under Frodo's gaze. * How does he do it I wonder? * Sam thought I never knew nobody who can keep their face empty like that and know they're smiling at ya by their eye's alone* Sam realized he was staring now and looked away in embarrassment.
"Well Sir, Mr Bilbo told me I wasn't to worry about that vase because it was given to him by Lobelia and he thought it was the ugliest thing he'd ever got given". Sam turned redder even as he was finishing his sentence. Frodo doubled over in fits of giggles, Lobelia had been harsh with her words to Sam on more then one occasion and Frodo himself had many experiences of the hurt she could inflict with her words. Yet Sam being Sam had never spoken ill of her and was embarrassed by Bilbo's gentle jest. Frodo straightened himself out and smiled fondly.
Bilbo re-emerged carrying three good size sacks and placed them on the table before the three boys'. Frodo and Merry grinned at one another for they both recognised that they were the baskets used for collecting apples.
"Here you go boy's, the rain has let up for now and I think it's time you three did something constructive and collected some apples". He smiled as their faces lit up at the prospect of getting out of the smail, but then he noticed Sam frowning slightly. "If you don't want to Sam that's alright. I just thought it would do you some good to get some fresh air!"
"Oh it's nought like that Mr Bilbo, it's just that me Gaffer told me never ta pick fruit after it's rained. S'got all bugs in it looking to get dry" He stammered.
He was defiantly Hamfast's son! "I had forgotten that Sam, thank you for reminding me" He smiled as the boy brightened the earlier distress washed away. "However I think that it would still be all right to pick it, and leave it in one of the sheds after. That should allow the insects to escape, don't you think?"
"Yes Sir, that sounds right!" And with that said Sam picked up the sacks and handed one to Merry and Frodo. They ran to the door and had disappeared through it before Bilbo could blink. From outside Bilbo heard the fading voice of Frodo as he called out a goodbye to his Uncle. Bilbo smiled to himself and breathed a sigh of relief as he let the much-missed silence of Bag-End calm him. He set about boiling some water, and settled down at the table spooning the tealeaves into an old brown pot. The whistle from the kettle blew and picking up a thickly folded clothe from the shelf next to the stove and carried the kettle the short distance to the waiting Teapot. He had only just settled down to his first few refreshing sips of his tea when a terrible thought entered his head. There are apple trees near the Brandywine! The river will be swollen with this amount to bad weather! But then he allowed himself to calm a little Frodo was very sensible. He above any Hobbit knew the perils of the Brandywine. No, he was sure Frodo would never allow them near it. But even as Bilbo returned to his study the feel of unease did not dissipate and nagged at him as he tried to continue his writing. He placed his pen in the fold of the book and leaning on his elbows, laced his fingers together and wondered.
*Did I just made a terrible mistake?*
tbc
*********
Hi all! I finally worked up the guts to write my first LOTR's fic! So here's part 1, hope you like it. Constructive feedback is more then welcome. By the way I have yet to figure out the various age differences of the hobbits so please humour me and understand that I am trying to be as accurate as possible, however it I have Fluffed something do let me know.
Brandywine
By Mainframe
The shire had been experiencing one of the worst rainy seasons in it's history, it had been raining mercilessly now for four days, and had drizzled every day for more then a month; the three young hobbits were becoming restless.
Bilbo sighed and leaned against the doorframe in Bag-End, he watched them playing chase & catch nun to carefully around the Kitchen table. He had been writing for many hours and had decided to take a break. Frodo was it, but being the elder of the two he was going easy on the two younger hobbits whom he could easily have caught.
Bilbo had, in a desperate bid to keep Frodo occupied invited Merry and Sam to stay at Bag-End for the week. Hamfast had been more than willing to let Sam spend the week at Bag-End and had gratefully accepted Bilbo's offer, instructing his son to be on his best behaviour, after all there was no way that the gardens could be tended to in this weather. Infact to Hamfast & Sam's dismay they were now starting to closely resemble a pond! And no amount of channelling could stop the water from returning.
Bilbo could ill afford to spare Frodo the time he should, for he had reached a difficult chapter in his diary (The Red Book) and needed to concentrate in order to get events down in the correct order.
A smile crept across the old hobbits face as he watched his young charge play. Since the rain had prevented Frodo from leaving Bag-End for most of the month Bilbo had noticed Frodo had become very withdrawn and rarely left his room, preferring instead to read or stare out of his bedroom window, except when called to a meal, at which he worryingly ate very little. Upon inquiring if he felt ill, Frodo had shaken his head and quietly replied that he missed going outside to play. Bilbo had decided then and there that he would travel to Buckland early next morning and rescue Merry from the chaos that is Brandy Hall, and pick up Samwise on the way back as a surprise. Frodo beamed with joy when a rather waterlogged Merry accompanied by an even wetter Bilbo burst through the door, closely followed my Sam who seemed the drier of the three.
Bag-End had been chaos ever since!
Bilbo was rudely brought back to the present when he heard the breaking of glass and two loud thuds as Merry & Sam collided, taking the vase on the table with them. In their desperate bid to outman over Frodo they had smacked straight into one another. As Sam disentangled himself from Merry he stared in absolute horror at the remains of the broken vase strewn across the kitchen floor. His fathers word came back to him in a rush and he felt tears burn as he started to stutter and stammer apologise as Bilbo quickly made his way to the boys sides. Merry knelt on the floor next to Sam mute, chewing on his bottom lip nervously, eyes round as Bilbo carefully squatted in front of them.
"Mister Bilbo Sir…I so sorry I wern't lookin were I was goin, it's all my fault!" He chewed nervously at his hand-me-down, to big cotton shirt. Frodo placed a reassuring hand on Sam's shaking shoulders and then started to rub his back in circles trying to stop the lad from hyperventilating.
"It was my fault really Uncle, it was my idea to play this game and I should have know better then to chase Sam and Merry into the kitchen". Frodo said, lowering his eyes in shame and hanging his head.
Merry gave Bilbo a well-practised round-eyed stare (which he had found to be the best way to get out of trouble with adults) and apologised quietly to Bilbo and started to pick up the broken piece near him.
Bilbo ruffled his hair and told him not to worry and to leave the glass alone, before he cut himself! He then asked Frodo to fetch a broom and to carefully sweep the corpse of the vase from the room before anyone truly got hurt. Frodo complied and immediately set about the task. Bilbo wasn't mad. It had been an accident, an inevitable one but an accident all the same and he had no intention of punishing the boy's. Once he had gotten over the shock his face softened as he reached out and carefully pushed back the mop of golden curls that hid Sam's face. To the older hobbit's dismay the lad was silently crying.
"There now Sam. It's all right your not in trouble. You just gave an old hobbit a bit of a scare. Truly I'm not angry with any of you. Are you hurt?" he inquired.
"No Sir" He sniffed and slowly got to his feet. "But I broke your lovely vase and I don't rightly know how to fix it!" Bilbo couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him as he ruffled the Lads curly mob. He bent forward and quietly whispered into Sam's ear something that made Sam start to giggle and eventually blush trying to mind his manners. Bilbo glanced out of the window and smiled, and disappeared down one of the many halls in Bag-End. Frodo who had just finished emptying the vase fragments into the bin came back to find a very red faced Sam and Merry doing his best to look innocent away in the corner. Frodo smiled at his cousin and got one in return, Merry knew better then to try the innocent look on Frodo, after all it was Frodo who had taught him the trick when he lived at Brandy Hall. Frodo returned his attention to Sam.
"What did Uncle Bilbo say to you Sam?" Frodo's curiosity was more then peeked as he watched his young friend squirm.
"Well Mr Frodo I don't rightly know if I should repeat it, it ain't very polite to gossip". But eventually he crumbled under Frodo's gaze. * How does he do it I wonder? * Sam thought I never knew nobody who can keep their face empty like that and know they're smiling at ya by their eye's alone* Sam realized he was staring now and looked away in embarrassment.
"Well Sir, Mr Bilbo told me I wasn't to worry about that vase because it was given to him by Lobelia and he thought it was the ugliest thing he'd ever got given". Sam turned redder even as he was finishing his sentence. Frodo doubled over in fits of giggles, Lobelia had been harsh with her words to Sam on more then one occasion and Frodo himself had many experiences of the hurt she could inflict with her words. Yet Sam being Sam had never spoken ill of her and was embarrassed by Bilbo's gentle jest. Frodo straightened himself out and smiled fondly.
Bilbo re-emerged carrying three good size sacks and placed them on the table before the three boys'. Frodo and Merry grinned at one another for they both recognised that they were the baskets used for collecting apples.
"Here you go boy's, the rain has let up for now and I think it's time you three did something constructive and collected some apples". He smiled as their faces lit up at the prospect of getting out of the smail, but then he noticed Sam frowning slightly. "If you don't want to Sam that's alright. I just thought it would do you some good to get some fresh air!"
"Oh it's nought like that Mr Bilbo, it's just that me Gaffer told me never ta pick fruit after it's rained. S'got all bugs in it looking to get dry" He stammered.
He was defiantly Hamfast's son! "I had forgotten that Sam, thank you for reminding me" He smiled as the boy brightened the earlier distress washed away. "However I think that it would still be all right to pick it, and leave it in one of the sheds after. That should allow the insects to escape, don't you think?"
"Yes Sir, that sounds right!" And with that said Sam picked up the sacks and handed one to Merry and Frodo. They ran to the door and had disappeared through it before Bilbo could blink. From outside Bilbo heard the fading voice of Frodo as he called out a goodbye to his Uncle. Bilbo smiled to himself and breathed a sigh of relief as he let the much-missed silence of Bag-End calm him. He set about boiling some water, and settled down at the table spooning the tealeaves into an old brown pot. The whistle from the kettle blew and picking up a thickly folded clothe from the shelf next to the stove and carried the kettle the short distance to the waiting Teapot. He had only just settled down to his first few refreshing sips of his tea when a terrible thought entered his head. There are apple trees near the Brandywine! The river will be swollen with this amount to bad weather! But then he allowed himself to calm a little Frodo was very sensible. He above any Hobbit knew the perils of the Brandywine. No, he was sure Frodo would never allow them near it. But even as Bilbo returned to his study the feel of unease did not dissipate and nagged at him as he tried to continue his writing. He placed his pen in the fold of the book and leaning on his elbows, laced his fingers together and wondered.
*Did I just made a terrible mistake?*
tbc
*********
Hi all! I finally worked up the guts to write my first LOTR's fic! So here's part 1, hope you like it. Constructive feedback is more then welcome. By the way I have yet to figure out the various age differences of the hobbits so please humour me and understand that I am trying to be as accurate as possible, however it I have Fluffed something do let me know.