Young Frodo
by Overlithe
1386
Chapter 47: A Night to Remember
The nagging discomfort in the back of his mind had persisted since his
unpleasant arrival at Bag End but finally a few weeks later the coming
of Merry for the “camp in” had at last made him forget. Merry was the
only one who he felt he belonged with; he’d always been a part of his
life and he hoped he always would be.
The two younger Hobbits were comical sizing each other up upon their
meeting. They seemed to decide quickly however that tales and treats
were far more interesting than deciding who could stand whom on their
head.
As the night had progressed and Bilbo had retired the two sat wide-eyed
staring at Frodo transfixed by a tale he told. It was a new tale one
which neither had heard before, it was not one that even Bilbo knew as
it was streaming from Frodo’s mind even as he sat in the dimness of the
Parlor, the fire burned low and the logs popped every so often
startling one or both of the intent listeners. The smell of wood smoke
drifted in the air mingled with the remnants of supper, late night
snacks and cider.
…They traveled far to the south to the lands of warmth,
a land where it is said that big people roam the lands and
no hobbits dare live or travel.
“Frodo, if no hobbits go there then where did the tales come from?”
“From the elves of course, Master Meriadoc; where do most tales come from?”
“From Uncle Bilbo.” Merry smiled triumphantly crossing his arms and nodding.
Frodo chuckled, “but where do you think he learned most of his tales?”
“He…. Talks to Elves…really, Mister Frodo?” Sam was nearly on his feet.
“Yes, of course he does. Do you want to hear the tale or not?” Vigorous nodding led Frodo to go on.
And so the night continued, with Frodo telling tales until he was
hoarse from answering questions. The thread of the tale taking turns
and twists as the teller became drowsy and lost his place and began to
speak of things…
Of Kings and white birds and great stone cities with walls upon the
mountains and of battles between men and foul creatures, of death and
despair and hopelessness. Then he stopped cold in the midst of a
sentence with no recollection of what he’d said nor where the tale had
taken him.
Sam and Merry looked at each other then at Frodo who had stopped at a
crucial point in the tale. He just stared into the fire and when they
roused him he would not continue the tale. He got to his feet, looked
out the window and proclaimed it too late to finish the adventure.
After a snack to counteract the disappointment of the aborted tale the
trio was off to bedrolls by the fire, soon the soft sounds of snoring
could be heard through out the smial.
Frodo lay awake for some time trying to recall what he was last saying,
something about a great stone city. Ah well, he thought, it must have
been something Bilbo had told him once and in his sleepy state it had
come into his tale, but his imagination had given him such a clear
picture of the place it was eerie.
He looked at the two lads sleeping nearby and smiled as he drifted off,
it was certainly a night they will remember even if I can’t seem to do
so myself.
*~*~*
He woke in the early twilight, the cold before the dawn. He sat
straight up and looked to the window where the first light could be
just barely seen. He felt like he’d not slept at all and indeed he most
likely hadn’t, not much, he’d forgotten how loudly Merry could snore
and Samwise…Well, who have thought that such a racket could be caused
by someone who was sleeping. But sometime in the night he had slept
because the dreams he’d had still lay just beneath his consciousness.
It was all the tales he decided, he never slept well if he thought
about the outside world too much. And there was something strangely
disturbing about including the two younger lads in his fantasies of
travel and adventure…the way their eyes lit up at the suggestion that
life existed out side the boarders of the shire. Today he would have to
try to counteract the tales with some good hearty Shire fun, good plain
hobbit talk.
Some how Frodo knew it would not be the last time he’d have adventures
with the likes of these two, either in tales or in life there was more
to the new friendships and close connection than could be accounted for
and something in his dreams…. there was something about his dreams that
made him know. Yes there would be much more of this much, much more.
