"Frodo, your appetite is improving. When you first returned home you ate so little." Poppy said.

"Oh, Poppy, don't you fuss over me, too. Sam and Rose are always going on about that, and so do my cousins. I've always been thin for a Hobbit. I'm a Fallohide, after all."

"I'm not fussing over you. I'm just making an observation. It must be trying to have everyone expecting you to...... to...What do they all expect to happen to you, anyway?"

"I'm not sure. exactly. They all saw some frightening things happen to me, especially Sam. And I'm not as well as I once was, I'll admit. But they do overdo the worrying and smothering. I hardly think I'll keel over dead tomorrow."

"I should hope not. I enjoy your company far too much to have you doing that."

"I enjoy being with you, too, Poppy. There's no nonsense about you. And you're far smarter than any other Hobbit I know. But don't tell Merry Brandybuck I said that since he believes himself to be the smartest Hobbit in the Shire."

Poppy laughed.

"Oh. neither Merry nor I are the smartest in the Shire. You are, Frodo. You've always been a scholar and you never seem to forget anything you learn. And you are very wise. These things are very rare hereabouts. Most of the hobbit lads are nearly absolute dolts. You're the only one who can talk about anything intelligent. In fact you never say anything doltish at all."

"Thank you, Poppy, you are by far the best Hobbit woman I know of and that is high praise coming from you."

"You're the only one apart from my Father who thinks it's a good thing for a Hobbit lass to use her mind.'

"Or their own minds, either. I don't even try to make them understand what's happened in the world outside the Shire. And they'd never believe it anyway. But we all nearly lost everything we hold dear and they know nothing of it apart from what they put up with from the ruffians." Frodo's voice drifted off and he seemed to be looking at things far away. "They can have no idea......"

"It was bad wasn't it? What happened to you."

Frodo sighed.

"Bad enough. But there were some very good things. Rivendell, the elves, Lothlorien, Ithilian, Gondor under the new King. Those things were quite wonderful.....beautiful."

"I should like to see some of these places."

"Perhaps you will see Gondor, for it is now the time of Men, But the elves are leaving. Theie time has ended here in Middle-earth."

"This is very sad. Where are they going?"

"Across the Sea, into the Uttermost West. The Undying Lands."

"That is the book you were reading."

"Yes. They think I should go with them."

"Why?!" Poppy was very distressed by this news.

"Oh... They fuss over me, too. Gandalf, I think, believes I will die if I remain here."

"Oh, no! Surely not, Frodo.'

"Perhaps he is right. At times I feel as if all the life is draining from me. I was hurt badly by Morgal blade, and the sting of a very dangerous, very large spider.....and...... the Ring...... it did many things to me that I, even now, do not fully understand. I feel as if it has poisoned me in heart and mind and from this especially I believe I shall never recover. It may very well kill me in the end."

"But the Ring is gone....."

"It's effects linger..... within me. I fear they always will."

It had grown dark and in the starlight Frodo's face seemed to glow faintly with a pale light and his eyes were large and reflected the moonlight ethereally in their deep blue depths.

Poppy reached out and took Frodo's hand. It felt chilled yet with a hidden warmth against her own. Frodo was changed. He was not the merry young Hobbit who had left the Shire on a great adventure. He was someone... something else.. entirely now.

But would the changes that had been wrought on him destroy him. He had a great inner strength that Poppy had always sensed and admired. It was a strength he seemed barely aware of himself.

"Do you want to leave here, Frodo?"

"No. Not yet, anyway."

"What do YOU want, Frodo?"

"Well, right now, Poppy, I'd really like to kiss you."

"I think I'd quite like that myself."

"Good."

And with that Frodo leant nearer and their lips touched lightly then more certainly and surely as they drew into each other's arms.

It was the first time that Frodo felt truly at home and at peace since his return to the Shire.

No. Wizards and elves do not know everything. And next to nothing about the durability and resilience of Hobbits.

TBC.