Okay, this is my first LotR fan fic, so... be gentle. Constructive
criticism is quite welcome, as long as I don't need a fire exstinguisher to
read it. I've got the second chapter ready, and if by chance I get a
review, I'll go ahead and post it (once I figure out how... :P ). Hope you
enjoy!
A Little Change of Heart
Chapter 1
Bag End, 1442 S.R.
*~*~*
"Do you really mean to stay in here until they've gone?"
"I see no reason not to."
Frodo Gamgee sighed and sat down next to his sister. "Goldilocks, dear, come to your senses." Ignoring the sour look he received from her, he went on, "They're going away for a *year*. And not just on some trip to Buckland, or even to Bree."
Eleven-year-old Goldilocks scowled. "It's not fair! Why is it just Elanor who gets to go?"
Frodo sighed again. "You've been told why. Elanor is older, she can take care of herself, which means Mother and Father don't have to spend so much time looking after her. Do you know how long it's been since they didn't have to worry about what their children were up to?"
Goldilocks blew a strand of hair out of her face. Deep down, she knew her brother was right, but that knowledge did nothing to soothe her. Her upset did not even come entirely from Elanor being allowed to visit Gondor with their parents; it was the fact that Goldilocks would be without her mother and father for an entire year. Twelve whole months where she would not be able to help her father in the garden while hearing his songs from faraway lands, or listen to her mother softly humming baby Robin to sleep. She would even miss Elanor, more terribly than she would ever admit to herself, for her oldest sister was just as kind and gentle with Goldilocks and her siblings as their mother was.
With this last thought came a knock on the door to the bedroom Goldilocks shared with her sister, Daisy. When neither Goldilocks or Frodo answered, the knock came again, no louder than before.
Frodo sighed once more and called out, "Come in."
The fair hair and face of Elanor Gamgee peeked into the room. "Goldi?" she called out softly.
Goldilocks promptly drew her feet up onto the bed and whirled around so her back was to the door. She felt Frodo standing and heard him walk out the door. A few moments later, she heard the sound of the door closing, but knew that Elanor had not left out of it.
"Goldilocks--" Elanor began.
"I'd rather not speak with you at the moment," her sister cut her off, speaking in a tone she usually reserved for strangers she did not like the looks of.
Elanor quickly crossed the room and joined her sister on the bed. "Oh, Goldilocks, please don't be angry with me! I'm not going to see or speak with you for a year, and I don't want my last memory of you to be a foul one!"
"Well, I'm perfectly fine with it." A lie, of course, something that Goldilocks rarely spoke and was not very good at. But at that moment, she was too upset to care.
"Goldilocks, please, I don't want--"
Blinking back tears, Goldilocks interrupted her again. "I told you, I don't want to speak with you right now!"
They were both spared by another knock on the door. Frustration beginning to mingle with the anger and sorrow she already felt, Goldilocks yelled out, "What now?!"
The door cracked open, revealing the face of Samwise Gamgee. Goldilocks turned her gaze from the doorway so that she would not have to see her father's look of sadness.
"Elanor," his soft voice called out. "Go outside and help your mother for a minute."
"But father-"
"It'll only take a minute," he insisted gently.
When the door closed once more, Goldilocks felt her father sit down and place his hand on her shoulder. She bowed her head, suddenly ashamed of the remorse she felt. Much to her father's surprise, Goldilocks twisted around and embraced him, sobbing into his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Daddy! It's just... it's just that I won't see you or mother or Elly for a whole year, and... And more than I wish I could go with you, I wish none of you were leaving for so long!"
Sam stroked the golden curls his daughter had been named for. "I know, love. It's going to be difficult for us all. But I promise you this--" He pulled back so he could look her in the eye, and smiled. "I'll think on you every day."
Goldilocks mirrored his smile. "I'll do the same for you, Father."
Moments later, father and daughter had left the bedroom and were making their way to the main door when they heard voices in the sitting room.
"You can't see her right now, Faramir." The first voice belonged to the younger Rose in the Gamgee family; Goldilocks couldn't help but smile at the sound of the second voice.
"I will be sure to heed your commands, Rose Gamgee the Second, when you become a leading authority figure in this fine household. But just out of curiosity, what is so pressing that I can't see Goldi?"
Tossing his daughter a wink, Sam spoke up as he entered the sitting room. "It's all right, Rosie. Master Faramir may have his friend back now."
Faramir Took favored Sam with the impish grin he had inherited from his father. "Thank you kindly, Master Samwise."
Just then, the elder Rose Gamgee rushed into the room, closely followed by a flustered Elanor.
"I could have sworn I'd seen some in the cart, Mother; are you sure there weren't any?"
"I checked everywhere, Elanor. Not a single eating utensil to be found."
"Well, who was responsible for helping to pack the cooking equipment?"
Looking strangely panicked, Goldilocks spoke hurridly to her friend. "Isn't that your father calling for you, Faramir?"
His eyebrows furrowed, he replied, "I don't think--"
"Yes it is," she interrupted quicky, grabbing his hand and pulling him out the door with her.
When they were outside, Faramir grinned at his friend. "Goldilocks, have you been avoiding your responsibilities? Tut tut."
She gave him as angry a look as she could manage. "Were I not so fond of this garden, I would push you into it."
They glared at each other for as long as possible before simultaniously bursting into laughter. Goldilocks grabbed his hand again.
"Come on, I want to say hello to Merry and your father!"
"But I just spent a whole day with them!"
Goldilocks giggled, ignoring her friend's protest. They found Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took sitting on the hill overlooking what had become known as the Party Field. Surrounding the two over-sized hobbits were the rest of Goldilocks's siblings, as well as Merry's two children, Lily and Boromir. Diamond Took and Estella Brandybuck weren't far from their husbands; Diamond was holding Goldilocks's youngest brother, Robin, now only two years old.
Six-year-old Bilbo, who was sitting in Daisy's lap, reached out to tug on Pippin's sleeve. "How big is Minis Tirath, Uncle Pippin?"
Goldilocks, who was seating herself on the grass beside Frodo, whispered loudly, "It's Minas Tirith, Bilbo."
Bilbo scowled at his older sister. "That's what I said!"
Pippin cleared his throat importantly. "Well, Bilbo my lad, compared to towns here in the Shire, Minis Tirath is a very big place indeed!" He then proceeded to describe the seven great stone walls, the glimmering White Tower, and lastly - the thing that had fascinated Goldilocks since she had first heard of it - the White Tree of Gondor.
Goldilocks could not fight the longing sigh that escaped her lips at the thought of finally laying eyes on the White Tree in Minas Tirith. There were times during the preparations for her parents' trip when Goldilocks had half a mind to simply find herself a pony and follow them into Gondor. But the rational part of her knew she would never make it very far on her own. No, for now, she would simply have to deal with dreaming about distant lands and hope that she could see them for herself one day.
As Goldilocks's mind wandered to far-off places, she became vaguely aware that she was being discussed.
"...And then, of course, there's those hands she doesn't seem to enjoy washing..."
Over their many years of friendship, Faramir had developed an annoying habit of teasing Goldilocks for her tendency to daydream. But this time, instead of giving Faramir her usual scowl, Goldilocks smiled and moved to sit next to him. She put her arm around his shoulders and said lightly, "Oh Faramir, you really are a foolish lad." With that, she gave him a hard shove, sending him tumbling down the hill.
Amidst his yelps of pain, Goldilocks put her hands to her face in mock horror. She called down to him, "Oh dear! I'm terribly sorry, Faramir! You see, I have a problem with accidentally shoving others down hills..."
As she spoke, Goldilocks did not notice Lily Brandybuck, who was quite fond of teasing both Faramir and Goldilocks, approach her from behind. After pretending to look around to make sure she was not being watched, Lily stretched out with her foot.
Moments later, Faramir, who had been lying at the foot of the hill for about a minute, watched as Goldilocks landed in front of him.
"Oh dear. I'm terribly sorry I couldn't help break your fall, Goldilocks. You see, I have a problem with not helping hobbits who shove me down hills..."
Goldilocks felt around in the grass until she found a small twig, which she promptly chucked in Faramir's general direction.
*~*~*
A Little Change of Heart
Chapter 1
Bag End, 1442 S.R.
*~*~*
"Do you really mean to stay in here until they've gone?"
"I see no reason not to."
Frodo Gamgee sighed and sat down next to his sister. "Goldilocks, dear, come to your senses." Ignoring the sour look he received from her, he went on, "They're going away for a *year*. And not just on some trip to Buckland, or even to Bree."
Eleven-year-old Goldilocks scowled. "It's not fair! Why is it just Elanor who gets to go?"
Frodo sighed again. "You've been told why. Elanor is older, she can take care of herself, which means Mother and Father don't have to spend so much time looking after her. Do you know how long it's been since they didn't have to worry about what their children were up to?"
Goldilocks blew a strand of hair out of her face. Deep down, she knew her brother was right, but that knowledge did nothing to soothe her. Her upset did not even come entirely from Elanor being allowed to visit Gondor with their parents; it was the fact that Goldilocks would be without her mother and father for an entire year. Twelve whole months where she would not be able to help her father in the garden while hearing his songs from faraway lands, or listen to her mother softly humming baby Robin to sleep. She would even miss Elanor, more terribly than she would ever admit to herself, for her oldest sister was just as kind and gentle with Goldilocks and her siblings as their mother was.
With this last thought came a knock on the door to the bedroom Goldilocks shared with her sister, Daisy. When neither Goldilocks or Frodo answered, the knock came again, no louder than before.
Frodo sighed once more and called out, "Come in."
The fair hair and face of Elanor Gamgee peeked into the room. "Goldi?" she called out softly.
Goldilocks promptly drew her feet up onto the bed and whirled around so her back was to the door. She felt Frodo standing and heard him walk out the door. A few moments later, she heard the sound of the door closing, but knew that Elanor had not left out of it.
"Goldilocks--" Elanor began.
"I'd rather not speak with you at the moment," her sister cut her off, speaking in a tone she usually reserved for strangers she did not like the looks of.
Elanor quickly crossed the room and joined her sister on the bed. "Oh, Goldilocks, please don't be angry with me! I'm not going to see or speak with you for a year, and I don't want my last memory of you to be a foul one!"
"Well, I'm perfectly fine with it." A lie, of course, something that Goldilocks rarely spoke and was not very good at. But at that moment, she was too upset to care.
"Goldilocks, please, I don't want--"
Blinking back tears, Goldilocks interrupted her again. "I told you, I don't want to speak with you right now!"
They were both spared by another knock on the door. Frustration beginning to mingle with the anger and sorrow she already felt, Goldilocks yelled out, "What now?!"
The door cracked open, revealing the face of Samwise Gamgee. Goldilocks turned her gaze from the doorway so that she would not have to see her father's look of sadness.
"Elanor," his soft voice called out. "Go outside and help your mother for a minute."
"But father-"
"It'll only take a minute," he insisted gently.
When the door closed once more, Goldilocks felt her father sit down and place his hand on her shoulder. She bowed her head, suddenly ashamed of the remorse she felt. Much to her father's surprise, Goldilocks twisted around and embraced him, sobbing into his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Daddy! It's just... it's just that I won't see you or mother or Elly for a whole year, and... And more than I wish I could go with you, I wish none of you were leaving for so long!"
Sam stroked the golden curls his daughter had been named for. "I know, love. It's going to be difficult for us all. But I promise you this--" He pulled back so he could look her in the eye, and smiled. "I'll think on you every day."
Goldilocks mirrored his smile. "I'll do the same for you, Father."
Moments later, father and daughter had left the bedroom and were making their way to the main door when they heard voices in the sitting room.
"You can't see her right now, Faramir." The first voice belonged to the younger Rose in the Gamgee family; Goldilocks couldn't help but smile at the sound of the second voice.
"I will be sure to heed your commands, Rose Gamgee the Second, when you become a leading authority figure in this fine household. But just out of curiosity, what is so pressing that I can't see Goldi?"
Tossing his daughter a wink, Sam spoke up as he entered the sitting room. "It's all right, Rosie. Master Faramir may have his friend back now."
Faramir Took favored Sam with the impish grin he had inherited from his father. "Thank you kindly, Master Samwise."
Just then, the elder Rose Gamgee rushed into the room, closely followed by a flustered Elanor.
"I could have sworn I'd seen some in the cart, Mother; are you sure there weren't any?"
"I checked everywhere, Elanor. Not a single eating utensil to be found."
"Well, who was responsible for helping to pack the cooking equipment?"
Looking strangely panicked, Goldilocks spoke hurridly to her friend. "Isn't that your father calling for you, Faramir?"
His eyebrows furrowed, he replied, "I don't think--"
"Yes it is," she interrupted quicky, grabbing his hand and pulling him out the door with her.
When they were outside, Faramir grinned at his friend. "Goldilocks, have you been avoiding your responsibilities? Tut tut."
She gave him as angry a look as she could manage. "Were I not so fond of this garden, I would push you into it."
They glared at each other for as long as possible before simultaniously bursting into laughter. Goldilocks grabbed his hand again.
"Come on, I want to say hello to Merry and your father!"
"But I just spent a whole day with them!"
Goldilocks giggled, ignoring her friend's protest. They found Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took sitting on the hill overlooking what had become known as the Party Field. Surrounding the two over-sized hobbits were the rest of Goldilocks's siblings, as well as Merry's two children, Lily and Boromir. Diamond Took and Estella Brandybuck weren't far from their husbands; Diamond was holding Goldilocks's youngest brother, Robin, now only two years old.
Six-year-old Bilbo, who was sitting in Daisy's lap, reached out to tug on Pippin's sleeve. "How big is Minis Tirath, Uncle Pippin?"
Goldilocks, who was seating herself on the grass beside Frodo, whispered loudly, "It's Minas Tirith, Bilbo."
Bilbo scowled at his older sister. "That's what I said!"
Pippin cleared his throat importantly. "Well, Bilbo my lad, compared to towns here in the Shire, Minis Tirath is a very big place indeed!" He then proceeded to describe the seven great stone walls, the glimmering White Tower, and lastly - the thing that had fascinated Goldilocks since she had first heard of it - the White Tree of Gondor.
Goldilocks could not fight the longing sigh that escaped her lips at the thought of finally laying eyes on the White Tree in Minas Tirith. There were times during the preparations for her parents' trip when Goldilocks had half a mind to simply find herself a pony and follow them into Gondor. But the rational part of her knew she would never make it very far on her own. No, for now, she would simply have to deal with dreaming about distant lands and hope that she could see them for herself one day.
As Goldilocks's mind wandered to far-off places, she became vaguely aware that she was being discussed.
"...And then, of course, there's those hands she doesn't seem to enjoy washing..."
Over their many years of friendship, Faramir had developed an annoying habit of teasing Goldilocks for her tendency to daydream. But this time, instead of giving Faramir her usual scowl, Goldilocks smiled and moved to sit next to him. She put her arm around his shoulders and said lightly, "Oh Faramir, you really are a foolish lad." With that, she gave him a hard shove, sending him tumbling down the hill.
Amidst his yelps of pain, Goldilocks put her hands to her face in mock horror. She called down to him, "Oh dear! I'm terribly sorry, Faramir! You see, I have a problem with accidentally shoving others down hills..."
As she spoke, Goldilocks did not notice Lily Brandybuck, who was quite fond of teasing both Faramir and Goldilocks, approach her from behind. After pretending to look around to make sure she was not being watched, Lily stretched out with her foot.
Moments later, Faramir, who had been lying at the foot of the hill for about a minute, watched as Goldilocks landed in front of him.
"Oh dear. I'm terribly sorry I couldn't help break your fall, Goldilocks. You see, I have a problem with not helping hobbits who shove me down hills..."
Goldilocks felt around in the grass until she found a small twig, which she promptly chucked in Faramir's general direction.
*~*~*