My Lord of the Rings Fan Fiction
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Part Two
Tales By The Water
After Frodo's parent's death, when he was only a young hobbit, he lived with his Aunt Pansy and Uncle Rufus, who had no other children. They were saddened by the loss, (Primula was Pansy was younger sister) but they were also glad to adopt a child of their own.
Despite the love Frodo's aunt and uncle showed him, he became a much more subdued child after the accident. The Tookishness in him was restrained most of the time. But he would still go on long walks by himself, sometimes to the High Hedge at the borders of Buckland. Some thought it was just so he could get as far away from the River as possible, and the bad memories. Others thought it was his Tookish sense of adventure slowly reasserting itself.
Frodo's friends were a major support in his life, though outright pity wasn't the way they showed it. Hobbits of that time and type were raised to "grin and bear it," or to hide any strong emotions. This was partly why Frodo never opened up to his aunt and uncle.. he didn't know how to speak to them. However, as he grew up, things started to change in Frodo's life. For one thing, he and Lily spent more time together.
One September afternoon, Lily invited Frodo for a birthday picnic by the river. He was going to be seventeen. She knew it was time for him to stop being afraid of the river. It was time to face it. She felt bound to help him, since they had sat by the river together, sharing that awful time nine years before.
As they neared the river, Frodo tensed up, and stopped walking.
"What's the matter?" Lily asked, concern showing in her voice.
"Nothing," he replied coolly. "She can't know I'm still afraid to be near the river," he thought to himself, and walked on resolutely.
"Frodo, I know you better than you think," she said skeptically. Raising one eyebrow, she continued. "It's the river, isn't it"� Her tone suddenly changed. "If you're not up for an adventure today, we can go back..." she said with a shrug. She looked at Frodo sidelong, and chuckled under her breath.
Well, at a taunt like that, Frodo couldn't back down. (You know how teenaged guys are...) He covered up his fears with a classic lopsided grin, and ran down the hillside, shouting "What are you talking about, Lil? Who's afraid of a little water?"
Lily's heart leapt into her throat. "Frodo, wait!" she cried. "Stop! Don't get too close, the ground is still sof--" and with that, Lily saw Frodo lose his footing on the wet ground, and he plunged into the water. He sank like a stone.
Horrified, Lily ran down the hill after him. She saw out of the corner of her eye, Merry Brandybuck asleep by a big tree. She shouted to get his attention.
"Merry! Merry, help! Frodo's fallen into the water!" Startled from his nap, the young hobbit was up in a moment, running for the riverbank.
As they reached the edge of the water, Merry shouted Frodo's name, and reached out to find his hand. He very nearly lost his footing, then drew back from the water's edge. Lily ran along the bank, trying to spot his form in the water. She reached in, desperately trying to find him.
"Lil, you know he can't swim! He'd be at the bottom by now!" Merry said worriedly.
In desperation, Lily shouted. "I'm coming to get you Frodo, hang on!" Just as she was about to jump in, Merry held her back. "You'll die too, Lil, if you go in after him! The water is too fast! Please!" He looked into her eyes, trying to keep her in his arms. In that moment, she saw a deeper feeling in Merry's eyes, deeper than concern, or friendship. He loved her. But all she wanted was Frodo. She had to save him.
"No!" she shouted, pushing him away. But just before she plunged into the river, she saw in Merry's eyes a great sadness and sorrow, a deep wound was rent in his heart.
Splash!
Merry stared at the rushing waters for what felt like an eternity, and just when he almost gave up hope of ever seeing them again, he saw Lily come up out of the water with Frodo in her arms. Gasping for air, she swam to shore with him, unconscious.
When Frodo was lying still on the bank, Lily tried everything she could to get him to wake up. She breathed her own air into him, and pushed up and down on his heart, and shouted his name frantically.
"Frodo, Frodo, please don't go! Don't leave me like this," she cried.
Merry stood by and watched, not knowing what to do. He prayed that his friend would be alright.. though he didn't really believe there was any hope.
When Lily was at the edge of exhaustion, Frodo finally opened his eyes. He coughed up some water, and sighed heavily.
"Frodo!" Merry cried, bewildered and happy. Frodo smiled faintly at his old friend, then looked up at Lily, who held his head in her lap. Water dripped from her dark hair onto the soft green grass.
As he saw them look at one another, a new jealousy awoke in Merry's heart. He saw his two old friends, and yet they were not with him anymore. He long knew of his feelings for Lily, but had done nothing about it. Dejected, Merry walked off without another word. Lily and Frodo barely noticed, and this hurt him even deeper.
Lily kissed Frodo on his brow.
****
A few hours later Lily woke up, lying beside Frodo on the riverbank. He was still asleep. She just gazed at him for awhile, his beautiful eyes hidden behind a mass of curly brown hair. She didn't know what this new feeling was in her heart, but she knew it was because of him. He stirred and woke up.
Frodo suddenly sat up and looked around frantically. "Where am I?" he thought. He saw Lily beside him, then remembered how she'd saved him from the river. He must have dozed off again.
"I'd better get home!" he said to himself, trying to avoid her gaze. Lily was confused at this, but still smiled at him, hoping he would say something like "Thank you for saving my life." But he didn't.
As they walked together down the road, there was a heavy silence between them, eventually broken by Lily.
"I was really worried about you, Frodo," she whispered suddenly. But Frodo still said nothing.
She stopped walking and stared into his deep blue eyes. "Say something!" she cried.
Frodo hesitated. "I'm sorry Lily. I don't know what came over me." He sighed heavily. He was very tired and very confused, and that's all he could manage for the moment.
Lily discerned from the way he spoke that he didn't want to remember what love she had shown for him. It was confusing for both of them, and this wasn't the time to open her heart. Lily just wanted to make him happy, and she really didn't know if Frodo felt the same way as she did for him. They walked in silence.
****
So their bond of friendship grew deeper over the next four years. And because of the river incident, and Lily's support, Frodo eventually got a hold on his his fear of the water. Now not even the border created by the Brandywine could stop Frodo's Tookish tendencies from taking over. He had always been an adventurer at heart, and now at the age of 21, he felt like he was destined for a great adventure, though he didn't know how or why.
The Tookishness in him was always at its peak when Frodo heard tales of his cousin Bilbo's adventures out of the Shire, and through the mountains with a group of dwarves, and even a wizard! Frodo heard about Elves and Goblins and even a great dragon from whom they had recovered plundered treasure. These stories were told as mere rumours in Buckland, and people laughed at them, saying such stories were foolishness. The only people who really believed Bilbo's stories were the ones who heard it from the old hobbit himself.
On midsummer's eve, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and their families were all at Brandy Hall for (yet another) festival. Many other distant relatives had come from all over the four Farthings for what was sure to be a splendid party. On this occasion, the three friends talked about Bilbo's adventures again, for the hundredth time.
"I heard Bilbo killed ten giant spiders!" Pippin said excitedly. Merry laughed, and Frodo stared wide-eyed. "Really?" he said, bewildered. And suddenly a voice came from behind.
"Frodo my boy! Don't you think that the warrior who carries Sting would be a grim harbinger of death to any great spider, no matter what the bearer's size?" In a moment, Bilbo's stern face broke into a deep, hearty laugh. The three younger hobbits cried in surprise to see the old man.
"Cousin Bilbo!" they exclaimed. "Please, tell us again of your great adventure! It's been so long since you were here last! Pleeease?" Merry and Pippin looked up at the old hobbit, eyes wide with anticipation.
"No no no no no!" Bilbo laughed. "You��ll get to read my story when it is finished. I'm too weary to tell it all again now." They pouted. Pippin made a mental note to ask Bilbo again after he had a few beers. He whispered that to Merry, and they ran off immediately.
Frodo just looked at Bilbo in wonderment. "We didn't even know you were coming," he said suspiciously. "This is quite a surprise." He frowned. "And you don't look well enough to travel." This wasn't exactly true. In fact, Bilbo was remarkably well preserved for his age.
"Nonsense, my lad!" he replied. "Why, at this rate, I'll be older than Old Gerontius Took without any trouble at all!"
"That's only if you start taking it easy, old man." Frodo laughed at Bilbo's look of mock annoyance.
"I am glad to see you," he said, smiling.
"And I you, Frodo," Bilbo said, and laid a hand on Frodo's shoulder, smiling. Bilbo felt that the only person who really understood him (or at least believed him) was this young lad. He used to come visit Frodo often in the summer, and tell bits and pieces of his great adventure. He watched Frodo's heart swell with excitement whenever the possibility of adventure was mentioned. Little did Frodo know that his wish would soon be granted.
At that, Bilbo got up and walked off, chuckling to himself. Without Frodo noticing, he had left an envelope by his chair. After a few minutes, he looked over and saw it lying there. Half-wondering who left it for him, Frodo opened the envelope, and was about to read the note when Lily came up behind him, and shouted in his ear "Boo!" She laughed as he nearly jumped out of his skin.
"I hate it when people do that!" he cried. "How much longer is this going to go on?" he said, shaking his head. Lily laughed harder. "Only for as long as you hate it!"
"Anyway, what was that all about?" she asked, meaning his conversation with Bilbo, which she'd been watching from a few tables away.
"Oh, Bilbo's in town. It seems strange, that's all. He hasn't travelled as far as Buckland since we were just children. I think there's a bigger reason he came than just to celebrate Midsummer's Eve with a bunch of distant relatives.'
"Well, he is quite a character, if I remember him right. I met him a few times before, yes, when we were children," she said thoughtfully. Suddenly she laughed. "All those adventure stories sure are incredible, aren't they?" she said, shaking her head.
Frodo looked startled. "You mean you don't believe his stories?"
"Well, I don't know. I'm sure he had some kinds of adventures, but all that about dragons and goblins must be, shall we say, 'artistic license.'" Lily shrugged.
He frowned at Lily and turned away. Lily noticed Frodo was reading a note in his hands. He seemed disturbed. "I think he's telling the whole truth, so don't you call him a liar!" Frodo snapped.
"I didn't say he was lying, it's just that" and with that, Frodo got up and started walking away briskly, still reading the note.
"Hey wait, where are you going?" she cried, following after Frodo through the crowded hall, and through the door, onto the terrace.
"Frodo, stop! I didn't mean it!" The door slammed shut behind her, leaving the two alone outside.
"Why won't you talk to me?" she said.
Frodo turned to face her, and for the first time in many years, Lily saw the strange Tookish glint in his eyes.
"If Bilbo's stories aren't real, then I have nothing to look forward to in this life. If it's all just a fantasy then there's really nothing out there for me!" And as he said this, Frodo saw an old pain awaken in Lily's eyes.
"Why do you think you need to be brave, to have an adventure to prove yourself?" she said, angry and bewildered. "Wasn't the river enough? You don't need anything else to--" He cut her off.
"Lily, our times together were always fun, and sometimes I could even imagine I wasn't in the Shire anymore; that I was off somewhere on a grand journey with Bilbo, to a far away land, doing really great things.."
"What do you mean were? What are you saying, Frodo?" Lily's eyes stung. A hot tear dropped down her cheek. Frodo looked to her sadly, and touched her face gently. She trembled, but she wasn't sure if it was from anger or love, or both.
"Bilbo has asked me to become his heir. He's asked me to leave Buckland and live with him in Hobbiton. The note said I have to make my choice soon...by tomor--" he faltered. Frodo's turned away, holding back from the tears that threatened to flood over.
Lily stood silently, staring off in the distance. She was numb. The only thing she felt was a fierce, inexplicable longing to take refuge in his arms, and an ugly thread of selfish jealousy. And yet she dared not look at him.
Frodo had known for some time now that his love for Lily went far deeper than friendship. But he'd never had the courage to admit it to her. They had been friends for such a long time, and he knew that what he was about to say would ruin that.
"...but I don't want to leave you, Lily."
They did not want to be parted, but Frodo's heart pulled him in two directions. He longed to see the world; he wanted to go somewhere he'd never been before.. and Hobbiton was the first step on that road.
So it was with great sadness and sorrow that Lily and Frodo roamed that night. They promised one another that they would not lose contact, and that they would write to each other for as long as he would be away, or as far as their lines of communication stretched. So until the last fading star of morning came, they walked together beneath the trees, hand in hand, wishing for the night to last a little longer.
But the next day did dawn, and the hour of their parting hastened. Frodo told his family of his decision to leave Buckland, and said goodbye to his Aunt Pansy and Uncle Rufus. They were sad to see him leave, but also counted it a good thing as well. Bilbo dearly loved Frodo, as much as his own son, and this young lad was the best person to be Bilbo's heir.
After he had his affairs together, Frodo's closest friends accompanied him down to the docks of the Brandywine, where the Bucklebury Ferry was waiting to take him across the river and out of their lives.
"Now you be sure to come back and get us when you go off on one of your big adventures, Frodo! We won't stand being left behind!" Pippin said, trying to lighten the mood of this sad moment.
"He's right you know," Merry added "You'll have to come back to Buckland --{or through it-- when you leave the Shire!" He didn't really expect Frodo to be back, but the comment hid his true feelings at the moment. Namely, that Lily would need comforting...)
No one really thought Frodo would ever have a real adventure, like Bilbo's fantastical yarn, but as Lily watched Frodo step into the boat, something stirred in her heart. She knew that Frodo was destined for great things, and she did not begrudge him for wanting to live out his dream. Though both their hearts pained to be sundered, Lily and Frodo knew that they would meet again.
Read Part Three