DISCLAIMER : Tolkien owns Tolkien

The Misty Marshes -- Chapter I "Words that haven't come."
NOTE : This story is based on A Hobbit Caught off His Guard, by Lily Baggins. It is rated R, there won't be sex. Its H/C and Slash with Frodo/A&A.

Chapter 1 "Words That Haven't Come."

Frodo tightened the shawl around him and sighed softly. He looked up as Sam came in and pushed the door to Bag End closed with a mighty shove against the building wind. He was rather tossled from a heavy day of outside work in the garden and beyond. Frodo smiled hopefully…Sam knew what he wanted to hear, but he had no good news. “I’m sorry, Mr. Frodo.” Sam sighed as he unlaced his scarf from around his neck. “Nothing today.” Sam did not know what else to do…so he patted Frodo on the shoulder and went to the kitchen where Rosie was.

He reached up to finger the pendant that Arwen had given him…Frodo looked away from Sam hiding the hurt in his eyes. It had been five months since their wedding. He’d left Gondor to go back to the shire with Merry, Pippin and Sam…and Aragorn had said they would send for him when the time was right. When everything had settled. Aragorn had also promised to write him…but there were no letters.

Arwen had been somewhat distant during the wedding though the three of them had shared a night together before it when he had come back from Mount Doom…distraught…and needing attention. He had felt like he was intruding on their happiness…and there was something they weren’t telling him. He knew it. It wasn’t that he was unhappy for them…he loved them both well…and wanted them to be happy.

He took a sip from the ginger tea Rosie had made for him earlier to ease a scratchy throat feeling that had been developing the last week. He’d been staying up late…and working on his book. Sleep didn’t come easy.

He longed for the comfort of Arwen’s arms and Aragorn’s touch…but he shouldn’t wish for it…he shouldn’t. He had no right to. Of course…there had been a couple of packages from Arwen, and some general news, but nothing about -them- about love…about missing him.

He sighed catching a glimpse of himself in the hall mirror. He was not the way he used to be…gaunt and thin at best…he hardly ate anything at all. He looked down at his hand and suppressed a shudder…as always…the scene at mount doom came to his mind. He’d never forget how close they came to failing…if it hadn’t been for Sam.

Frodo closed his eyes and heard Sam and Rosie’s muffled voices from the hallway. Thanks to the ring…his hearing had improved greatly over the last year.

Rosie‘s voice was not as calm as her husband‘s. “He hasn’t eaten all day, Sam…I’m worried…he hasn’t gone outside…or anything’. TALK to him…please…he‘s wasting away …”

“He’s been through a lot Rosie…you’ve got to just give him time.”

“Time…its been five months Sam. Five. He eats like a sparrow…and he barely says a word. He locks himself in his study all day…and…” Rosie sniffled a little as though she might be crying. “I think he hates us being here…he wants to be alone…I’ve tried Sam…”

“Shhhh…there now love.” Sam’s voice again, “He doesn’t hate us. He’s waiting. You know…to…um…”

“To hear from a King and Queen who don’t seem to care at all about him now that the quest is done?” Rosie was not very happy with that answer. “How is he supposed to live that way?”

“Now now…you know Arwen has sent gifts…”

“Gifts are not feelings, Sam. Frodo needs love….and we can only give him one kind of love….Oh Sam…I’m so afraid he’s just going to give up entirely…He‘s got a cough…I think a bit of a chill because of the wind….I gave him some tea…and a tray of cookies…but I went out earlier to dust and he hasn’t eaten anything…I think he‘s fallen ill…but he won‘t say so…”

Frodo looked over at the lovingly arranged tray of cookies, an assortment of ginger, molasses and cinnamon cookies. He reached over tentatively and took one of them…nibbling a little…

“There now, Lass. I’ll talk to him. You just make sure there’s some nice supper on the table.” Sam encouraged her softly.

“All-Alright Sam…you know best.“ Rosie was pregnant now…and that was half the reason Frodo found it difficult to talk to her. He was not sure how he was going to be around children.

Frodo heard Sam come back down the hallway, pause for a moment and then come out into the main room where Frodo was sitting by the fireplace. Though it was early Summer, Frodo was always cold…and there was a fire going. Sam sat down next to his friend and smiled gruffly, seeing Frodo nibbling on a cookie.

Frodo gave Sam a rather watery smile in return. “I’m not sick, Sam.” he said softly.

“I know you ‘eard, Mr. Frodo. Sorry…My lass is very worried about you, tis all.” Sam leant forward, “And with good reason, actually. Why don’t you help me in the garden tomorrow? I could give you some seeds to plant. Nothing strenuous, I might add….and you could watch them grow…” Sam gave his former master a guarded look as though he was trying to get a child to do something they wouldn’t normally do by making it sound like fun.

“..But it will get me outside.” Frodo laughed lightly…and coughed just a little. “Alright Sam…if it will make Rosie happy. I’m sorry, truly I am. I’ve been bearish…and I shouldn’t be surprised. I’d hoped…but…” he had only half eaten the cookie before he set it back down on the plate and took a sip of the ginger tea. “I suppose they’re newly wed and all.” He looked over at the fire. “I wish she would write more of what’s going on than what’s happening.”

“Have you written to them, Frodo?” Sam asked. “I mean…of how you feel?”

“Of course not Sam…” Frodo shook his head, “I mean…how can I write about that?…I want them to be happy. You know, we talked a lot about this in Mordor. I don‘t know what I would have done without you Sam…” He’d said it before, but he felt as though he had to say it again sometimes. Sam had been his rock…his anchor. Sam had kept him up when he’d felt like crawling into a hole and dying.

Sam blushed a little, “Mr. Frodo, you needed someone to look after you, and I was there. Anyone would have done the same.”

“Not anyone, Sam.” Frodo said firmly. “Maybe you’re right…maybe I should say something about what I feel…maybe she thinks I don’t want to see them? That I don’t want to leave the Shire again now that I’m home. Oh Sam…its so complicated…”

“No tisn’t, Mr. Frodo. Tis very simple as I’ve been telling Rosie. You love them, they love you.” Sam coughed a little. “Beggin your pardon, Mr. Frodo, if I hadn’t been head over heals for Rosie and if I thought along those lines, mayhap they would have had competition. You aren‘t as off-puttin‘ as you think y‘are.”

Frodo smiled then as Sam spoke, trying to bolster his confidence. The smile was the first real one that he’d given his friend in a long time. The idea of doing the things he’d done with Arwen and Aragorn with Sam was amusing at best…he was sure his friend’s ears would be burning red if he had any inclination of what activities the three of them had engaged in. “You’re right as usual…tell Rosie I’m hungry Sam….I’ll write a letter after dinner. And…and I’ll go out with you tomorrow. I just need a good nights sleep.”

Sam nodded with a grin and retrieved his pipe from his chair as he wandered back down the hall towards his wife.

To Be Continued…

Back//Next