Silent Desires -- Chapter Two
Frodo was feeling wretched. The sun was beating down heavily above and the rocky hills they were climbing up and down wasn’t helping, neither was the fact that he kept thinking about the night before. How many miles had they walked today? His feet felt like lead…but he knew that if he paused…the other hobbits would too and he wanted to be an example. He was their leader…he couldn’t rest.
The sweat dripping down his brow caused his hair to cling to his forehead, forcing his curls in his eyes once again. Sighing he brushed them away and gazed ahead doggedly.
“Have some water, Mr. Frodo.” Sam passed him a cantina but he shook his head, he wasn’t really thirsty…just on the verge of exhaustion. However, the gardener was not going to take no for a reply and looked at him rather sternly, “You need it, if you don’t mind my saying so, sir.”
Frodo took the water resignedly and sipped a little. The cool liquid trickled down his throat and wetted his parched lips leaving droplets on the edges. He completely missed Aragorn glancing back at him and smiling rather oddly.. However, Sam was ever watchful and he peered at the Ranger, who looked away with a shrug. “Thank-you, Sam.” Frodo said gratefully and wiped his hand on his damp shirt.
Sam helped Frodo readjust his pack and they continued to trudge forward once again. The gardener stole a glance at his master every now and then, concerned. Frodo -was- pushing himself and Sam knew it. He also wasn’t altogether ready to trust all the big folk about what with the looks that were sent Frodo’s way. He shook his head, it weren’t -his- fault after all, that was just the way he was. Sam always had known that both the men and the women were attracted to Frodo though bless him, he was completely oblivious. Sam had talked with Rosie about it a great deal for she had been certain that he and Frodo were, well. Sam would have blushed but he was a hardy lad. There was nothing farther from the truth than that. Rosie had told Sam when he left that he’d have to keep an eye on Mr. Frodo, that he was na�ve…and very innocent despite all his worldly behavior. It was up to Sam to protect him from he likes of those who would use him for their own pleasure.
There wasn’t any doubt in Sam’s mind that Mr. Frodo was handsome. But Handsome is as handsome does his old Gaffer used to say. The problem was he had a way about him, a certain charm. It was his eyes …and his fine features, they were very expressive and tempting. And his wide smile that lit up his entire face like one of Gandalf’s firecrackers. When Sam was a younger lad he used to fancy that Mr. Frodo was a prince in one of the fairytales that Mr. Bilbo used to read. He’d always been fascinated by how different Frodo was from everyone else, and that had led him to his current position of protector.
He smiled briefly wondering if Mr. Frodo had noticed Aragorn’s looks, likely not. Actually, most certainly not. Sam would bet against everything he was carrying that his master was completely oblivious as usual. “Mr. Frodo?” Sam asked in a quiet whisper.
“What is it, Sam?” Frodo glanced over, he’d been staring straight ahead, trying hard to keep his eyes focused on the trail and not on -anything- else…Certainly not on Aragorn’s rather long … muscular… legs…he wondered very briefly what it would be like to wrap himself…..no…certainly not…he mentally shook himself. Perhaps he was just too tired to think straight.
“Are you sure you’re alright, Mr. Frodo? You’re breathing rather heavily….and a bit unsteady…” If he’d asked his master what he really wanted to, Sam would have died of embarrassment. He grinned a little, an encouraging smile despite his own fatigue. “I’m sure it will only be a couple more hours till we get to rest again. Do you want me to carry anything?”
“No Sam…I’m fine…really.” Frodo smiled back, pushing his curls away from his eyes once again. He made the mistake of looking in the wrong direction and found Aragorn making his way back to the pair. He tried hard to muster his strength to look up at the ranger without betraying any emotion.
The Ranger took one look at Frodo and frowned, he called up to Legolas, “We’re resting here.”
“This is not a really good place for a campsite, Aragorn.” Boromir interjected. He looked about, “We’d be sitting ducks.”
After Aragorn called a halt, Frodo shook his head, “No…No don’t stop on my account. I’m fine. Really…”
Aragorn began to help Frodo take off his pack, much to the Ringbearer’s dismay. “We’re going to rest here Frodo.” he set the pack down and laid a hand on Frodo’s shoulder, looking back up at Boromir. “Then we’ll have to be alert.”
Gandalf made his way down and had a look at Frodo, “You should have said something a bit earlier, Frodo, sit down now…before you fall down.”
Frodo sighed and did as he was told…and so everyone settled down to have a bite to eat and to rest. Gandalf brought out his pipe and peered around cautiously while Legolas scouted ahead. Boromir and Gimli grumbled a bit and went over to keep a lookout on one of the taller rocks. Aragorn came back to sit by Frodo and Sam. Off a little ways, Merry and Pippin were making dinner.
Sam glanced up as Aragorn sat down and smiled a little gruffly, “I’ll just go help Merry and Pippin.” he rose taking a few plates with him.
“No…wait…Sam..” Frodo tried to stop the gardener…but Sam pretended not to hear him.
Aragorn smiled when Frodo finally relaxed a bit and looked back at the ranger. “Something wrong Frodo?”
“No…nothing.” he shook his head. “I…wanted to…make sure that Sam knew how much I wanted to eat…” he rubbed the back of his neck wearily, “I’m sorry to have slowed up everyone…”
The ranger smiled a bit and moved closer. To Frodo's surprise he put his hand against the back of his neck and began to rub a particularly tense spot. "You're not used to this, Frodo. Its only natural. Ive been walking about on long journey's all my life. I've been pushing you to get you into shape. This, my friend. is the easy part of our quest."
Frodo tensed at first...his whole body going rigid...but the feel of Striders fingers against the back of his neck was absolutely heavenly. Long fingers stroked up and down, moving slightly under the chain and then down to the base of his neck. He whimpered...his legs were beginning to feel like jelly. He hadn’t ever had this done to him...He couldn’t think...he didn’t know what to say. "That's....that’s very nice..." he stammered...feeling very foolish.
Aragorn smiled at the reaction and a little more when the hobbit scooted closer. He nodded, “Unbutton your shirt Frodo…this will feel a lot better if you let me get to your muscles.”
Frodo’s eyes opened wide…but his fingers moved to do as asked. He removed his vest and slid off the suspenders. If anyone else noticed, no one said a word. Aragorn pulled down Frodo’s shirt a little off the shoulders and began to take charge of the tense muscles, marveling at his soft pale skin. Frodo bent his head down and sighed in contentment as the man’s expert hands went to work.
Sam came over with a couple of plates for Aragorn and Frodo and smiled a little at what he saw. Frodo was relaxing for the first time in a while, “Mr. Frodo…I’ve got a plate for you…”
Frodo looked up, too weary and finding the attention he was getting from the ranger too dear to brush off even for propriety’s sake. He searched Sam’s eyes and found something that startled him. Approval. He took the plate gratefully and was rather amazed when Sam went off to have dinner with Merry and Pippin instead of sitting with him.
He didn’t however start to eat at first, he merely held the plate while he basked in the gentle fingers of the ranger. “Why aren’t you eating Frodo? You must be hungry…”
“I don’t want this to stop…” it was out before he could stop it. He colored and made sure his face was turned away.
Aragorn laughed, a rich hearty sound, he fixed Frodo‘s shirt up a little and patted him on the back. “You need your strength, Frodo.” He took up the hobbits plate and peered at the rations. “Surely not a hobbit’s regular fare.” he picked up a piece of bread dunked in tomato sauce and lifted it to the hobbit’s lips.
Frodo was watching his companion in surprise…”I can feed myself…” he managed.
“I know.” Strider smiled and it was impossible to tell exactly what he meant by that.
Frodo leaned forward and took the piece of bread between his lips, closing them over the man’s fingers. He licked with his tongue at the sauce and found himself watching Aragorn intently. The ranger did not seem to react other than to reach down to get a bit of meat. He shifted uneasily for a minute and reached over for his cup, taking a sip of water. After he did…he slid his tongue over his lips wiping away at any drops., and glanced back at the Ranger.
“More?” Aragorn held a piece of the spiced dried meat between his fingers.
Frodo nodded.
Frodo leaned forward towards the meat. "Aragorn...Can I ask you something?"
Aragorn nodded.
Frodo took a deep breath. "Why are you doing this?"
Aragorn let Frodo take the piece of meat between his lips and to the hobbit's surprise, they lingered there while the Ringbearer took his time. "Why do you ask questions which you already know the answer of?"
Frodo sighed, "I don't though...I don't understand..." he regretted having to pull away from Aragorn's fingers and looked down at the grass. The Ranger lifted the hobbit's chin up so he had to meet his gaze.
"Frodo...I think you do understand...but we cannot talk much about it now, for soon we must depart."
Frodo swallowed again, breathlessly...looking back at Aragorn with his eyes full of hope.
Aragorn smiled, "You are the Ringbearer...and you need to take better care of yourself, little one. Tonight...we'll talk during the watch."
Frodo's face fell a bit because he still had absolutely no idea what the Ranger meant. The rest of the day would be horribly long…waiting to find out.