For Gryffinjack and Dreamflower, who inspired this little plot bunny. This is an expansion on Tom’s drabble from “The Master of Bag End.”

Tolman Gamgee’s First Adventure

1442-1443 SR

They had planned everything perfectly, crossed all their t’s and dotted all their i’s. Tom Cotton would act as deputy mayor in Sam’s absence, an interim assignment approved by Thain Peregrin and Master Meriadoc. The children were split up appropriately amongst their aunts and uncles. Baby Robin would stay with Nibs and Oliana, for they also had a bairn and Oliana could feed Robin in Rose’s absence. Frodo-lad would go with the next youngest, Ruby and Bilbo, to Tom and Marigold’s; and Rose-lass would go with Primrose and Daisy-lass to stay with Jolly and Calla. The middle children were split in pairs, Pippin and Hamfast staying with Nick and Daphne, and Merry and Goldilocks staying with Daisy and Harman. Robin Smallburrow and his wife Lilah would go to Bag End every few days to air it out and Frodo-lad could easily enough walk from Tom and Marigold’s house to tend the gardens.

Sam, Rose and Elanor had everything packed and loaded onto the pony trap: all their provisions and cooking equipment for the journey; cases of clothing and necessities for their stay; boxes and parcels of gifts for their friends; a tent in case of rain; sleeping rolls; spare firewood and tinder; feed for the ponies, Young Bill and Strider II. They even had a barrel of water just in case, and still had room to spare.

Their itinerary was planned to the day. They would arrive in Bree in three days on 3 Astron and would leave Bree on the morning of 4 Astron with the merchant convoy heading with supplies and trade to Minas Tirith. They would travel down the Greenway, through the Gap of Rohan and reach Meduseld near the middle of Thrimidge to stock up on supplies and visit with Éomer King and their friends there for a day. They would push on toward Gondor and come to Minas Tirith by the beginning of Foreyule. They would stay for the summer in the little house the Travellers had stayed in after the War and at the first sign of autumn in Halimath they would set out for Bree with the return merchant convoy, arriving at Bag End’s front porch near the end of Blotmath and, with luck, just before the cold weather.

Yes, they had everything planned perfectly. Everything, that is, except…

“You’re pregnant,” announced Hazel, the Meduseld healer, to Rose.

“Again?” said Elanor.

“I knew we should have turned back in Bree. I had a feeling, didn’t I tell you, love?” said Rose.

Sam nodded. “Well, it’s too late now. Nothing for it but to keep on to Minas Tirith. Everyone’s expecting us. This’ll put a hold on us returning in the fall though.” For it was now the tenth of Thrimidge and fall was still four months away.

“Oh yes, I’d say you’re nearly two months along already,” Hazel assessed. “You should be fine to travel to Minas Tirith, but I wouldn’t advise you traveling back to the Shire so late in your term.”

“Maybe we could shorten our stay and come back in the summer,” Sam suggested.

“If you think I’m going to be traveling through Arda during the high heat of summer while I’m pregnant, you’ve got another thing coming to you Samwise Gamgee,” Rose said, light-heartedly.

Elanor snickered. “Good idea, Dad.”

“Then we’ll have to stay in Gondor,” Sam reasoned.

Hazel agreed and supplied Rose with morning-sickness herbs. “The healers in Minas Tirith will take good care of you, Lady Rose, and the baby too when he or she is born, which should be around mid-December. You’ll want to wait another five to six months at least before you set out for home to avoid the cold weather.”  

Tolman Gamgee was born at dusk on 25 Foreyule, 1442 SR, exactly twenty-four years to the minute that the Ring-bearer set out from Rivendell on his Quest. The day was one of high honor and celebration in Gondor, and Lord Samwise and Lady Rose were to be guests of honor at the Grand Banquet, but they never made it to table. Lady Rose went into labor shortly after luncheon, and she was attended by the best healer of the Houses of Healing and by Queen Arwen herself. By the time the citizens of Gondor were sitting to their feast, King Elessar was announcing the happy news of the arrival of the youngest Gamgee child, a bright and healthy boy.

A week later, another feast was held, a name-giving feast for little Tolman Gamgee, and the King gifted him with a silver broach in the shape of an eagle and for the eagle’s eyes were two small emeralds. All of Gondor loved Young Tom, for they had never seen a bairn so small and precious to behold. Gifts poured in from everywhere and soon the apartments in which the Gamgees lived were overflowing with a crib, a buggy, a high seat, rocking chair, clothes and bonnets and nappies, and strange little garments called socks and shoes, rattles, toys that made noise or rolled across the floor on their own, rag dolls soft and limp for the bairn to chew on or big and firm for the bairn to sleep with. There were blankets and towels, tiny little hairbrushes and nail clippers, and too many other things to remember.

Guests came and went. The guards of the city found excuses to come by during their breaks or after their duties. Prince Faramir and Lady Éowyn came for a visit, and even Legolas and Gimli made the journey to see the little bairn. Stern and hardened men of war melted at the sight of him, and they made as many goo-goo and ga-ga sounds at the bairn as all the ladies of the court, and they especially loved tucking Young Tom into their boots (when his mother wasn’t around to see them at it, that is), for he fit in them perfectly and he squealed for joy at the game.

The winter was long and happy and full of bliss, and everyone was sad to see the approaching spring, for they knew the Gamgees would soon be leaving.

So it was that on the morning of 1 Thrimidge, 1443 SR, Sam, Rose, Elanor and Young Tom walked down the streets of Minas Tirith amid crowds of friends and spectators. They were personally escorted to the Gate by the King and Queen, and there they said good-bye to their generous host and hostess. They also bid farewell to Prince Faramir and Lady Éowyn, Legolas and Gimli, Captain Beregond and Bergil, Lady Ioreth and all of their other dearest friends.

Queen Arwen placed a wreath of golden elanor and white niphredil on Elanor’s head and bid her maid a safe journey home. Then the Queen bowed to Lady Rose and Lord Samwise and in Rose’s arms was safely tucked Young Tom. The Queen kissed his brow and for the briefest of moments, to those who could see, Tom’s face lit up with a gentle white glow. To Rose she gave a golden chain dangling with thirteen small gems, one for each of her little jewels. To Sam she placed her hand upon his brow and let him see a brief but vibrant glimpse of the land beyond the Sea. He saw an endless shore of white sparkling sand and clear blue waters that melted into sky, and a single lone figure walking away toward the horizon, his steps light and carefree.

“He is healed and he is well,” the Queen said as tears of joy rolled down the Mayor’s cheeks. “He lives in joy and takes comfort in the knowledge that you too are healed and whole.”

Then Sam could only nod, for no words would suffice what he felt, and he led his family out of the City to the waiting merchant convoy.

Twenty large carts, each one drawn by four horses, made up the merchant convoy that day. The carts were packed with supplies and trading goods that would go to Rohan, Dunland and Bree. Surrounding another cart was a small contingent of the King’s guards, for they were transporting their own supplies and official documents to the King of Rohan. Amid all the grand horses and towering carts were the two small Shire ponies, standing proudly before their little trap crammed full once again with all the things the Gamgees had brought with them from the Shire. The gifts that had been brought for their friends in the City were now replaced with gifts for their friends and loved ones back home and the gifts they had received for themselves during their visit. Next to the trap was a solitary horse pulling another pony-trap, this one loaded with all of Young Tom’s things: his crib, carriage, buggy, clothes, toys, presents, and necessities. The trap was piled as high and full as the pony-drawn trap beside it, and everyone who walked past it shook their heads and laughed with wonder that so much baggage belonged to the smallest member of their party.

Once again, they set out for their journey prepared and ready. They had packed everything and left nothing behind. They knew where they would be camping each night and how long it would take them to arrive at Rohan, the Greenway, Bree and finally home. They had sent word ahead of them a month in advance so their loved ones would know when to expect them, and they anticipated the day they would see their family again, and sleep in their own beds, and wake to the quiet serenity that only existed in the Shire. They had everything planned to the dot. Except…

“WAAAAAAHHHH!”

Merchants and guards jerked awake to find the moon high overhead and the campfires dwindling to ashes. Rose paced back and forth, bouncing Tom on her hip, singing softly and soothing him as best she could.

“Not again,” grumbled one merchant.

“We’re never going to get any sleep at this rate,” said a guard.

“I’m that sorry,” Rose apologized, “but he’s got the colic, and every time I think he’s asleep, he wakes up again as soon as I try to put him down. It must be all that fish I ate.”

“Fish?” mumbled Sam, blinking up bleary-eyed at his wife.

“Well, I never ate so much fish with the other children as I did with Tom and none of them were this fussy,” Rose reasoned.

“They were, you're just not remembering. Here,” Sam muttered and stood. He took the bairn from Rose and began pacing back and forth as she had been. “You’re ready to fall over, you’re that tired. Have a rest. I’ll get him to sleep and join you.”

“You can try,” warned Rose, “but he’ll wake up again as soon as you go to lie down, mark my word. Maybe we should try getting that rocking chair out of the trap come morning, put it where it's easy to reach.”

“We haven't the time to be doing that love, not without keeping everyone half the morning,” Sam said.

“Maybe Sam-dad can sleep standing against the trap,” suggested Elanor.

Tom soon quieted and began to doze off again. The merchants and guards returned to their slumber, and in their makeshift corral the horses stopped stomping the ground and swishing their tails. The Shire ponies kept sleeping, undisturbed by the sounds of a crying bairn.

Sam paced and bounced, and bounced and paced. He sang softly in the bairn’s ear and told him all about the stars up in the heavens. When Young Tom was snoring and Sam could lift his little chubby arm to have it flop down again, he sighed with relief and returned to his bedroll. He lowered himself to his knees, pausing and holding his breath when Young Tom stirred. Sam bounced and swayed back and forth on his knees, shushing and singing until Tom settled again. Then Sam bent to lie down.

“WAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!”

Agitated groans from the merchants and soldiers and concerned whinnies from the horses surrounded him at all sides. Sam shot back up to his feet and began pacing again. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry. I thought he were asleep.”

“Sam,” Rose murmured. “What did I tell you, love?”

“I know, my dear, I know,” Sam said, pacing and bouncing, and bouncing and pacing. “I know. I just thought…”

“That you could do it when I couldn’t,” Rose guessed.

“Well… yes,” Sam admitted sheepishly.

“We may as well travel all day and night, if we’re going to be awake anyhow,” complained one merchant.

“I’m sorry,” Sam said again. “I’ll get him settled and then I’ll just… stay up with him. I can sleep in the morning, I suppose, if I can find room to lie down in the trap.”

“I have a better suggestion, Lord Samwise,” said one of the guards, coming up. He bowed slightly and waited for Sam’s returning head nod to continue. “We will walk with the baby so that you and he may both sleep.”

“I can’t be asking you to do that,” Sam protested.

“That’s very generous of you,” Rose said, “but we couldn’t possibly impose.”

“We already have a watch set to keep an eye out for wild animals and highwaymen,” the guard continued. “It would be no imposition at all for another of us to pace back and forth with the littlest one. If anything, it will help to keep us more alert and to pass the time. We trade off posts every two hours, so everyone will still have plenty of time to sleep and rest.”

“I think that’s a grand idea,” Elanor advised drowsily before nodding back to sleep.

Sam felt all the eyes of the merchants staring at him, pleading and begging him to take the guard up on his offer. He nodded. “Very well, but only if you assign me one of the watches.”

“And me as well,” said Rose.

“But Lady Rose,” the guard started.

“I am his mother, young man, and I have eleven more of these at home,” Rose intoned in her no-nonsense voice that not even the King himself would defy. “Don’t tell me I can’t keep a watch. I’ve sat up more sleepless nights than you can even count, and got through the whole next day without a wink of sleep besides.”

“Yes, Lady,” the guard agreed, bowing apologetically.

And so it was settled. Two guards kept watch from that night on, one looking out over the blackness of the surrounding lands, another pacing back and forth, bouncing a contentedly sleeping bairn in his arms and humming lullabies deep into the night. Sam and Rose, and Elanor also, took their turns at their watch, and when he got hungry, Rose would stand by the dying fire and feed him until he was full.

When they reached Rohan, Éomer laughed with delight at the tale. “The King’s guards setting watch to baby-sit,” he said with much amusement.

“Not every night,” Sam explained. “Only when Young Tom won’t stay asleep.”

“And how often is that?” Éomer asked.

“About every two to three nights,” Sam admitted.

“It’s a good thing, then, that I have my own transport setting out with you to Bree. I will double my contingent and have them continue to serve as your nurses. It will give them a much needed lesson in patience,” Éomer said and laughed again. Then he took the bairn and held him through dinner, and the bairn occupied himself with tasting the various buttons, tassels and metals pinned to the king’s cloak.

Hazel came to attend to the bairn that night and she offered Rose many herbals that would soothe Young Tom’s colic and help him sleep more restfully. To the merchants, she supplied ear plugs and for that they were eternally grateful.

It was with much relief that the convoy arrived in Bree at last. The merchants were sincere in their well wishes and would miss the bairn and the cheerfulness of the hobbits greatly, but they were all looking forward to a day without crying.

The following morning, the Rohirrim offered to escort the Gamgees to the Shire, as far as the Bridge Gate, but Sam declined. “It’s only a day’s journey from here, and there should be someone there to meet us.” So the guards each said farewell to their smallest charge, not a one of them being ashamed at the silly faces and noises they made to entice the bairn to laugh. They bid the family a safe journey home and turned back toward their own homeland.

Someone was at the Gate to greet them. Master Meriadoc and Mistress Estella were waiting with their sons Peridoc and Théodoc, and their daughter Niphredil. They embraced their friends with warm hugs and cooed and ahh-ed over the newest addition to the Gamgee household.

“You’ll have to have one more now,” Meriadoc joked. “Thirteen is an unlucky number after all, as the dwarves say.”

“You want another one, you can have it yourself,” Rose quipped back. “Thirteen is plenty lucky as far as I’m concerned.”

“Fellows can’t have bairns, my dear,” Estella said sadly. “The first bout of morning sickness would kill them. Forget about the labor.”

“Don’t I know it,” Rose returned. “Sam was ill this winter while we were in Gondor. I don’t know who was worse to take care of, him or the bairn.”

The lasses laughed and the fellows knew better than to protest.

The Gamgees and Brandybucks arrived at Bag End two days later to a welcome home celebration in the Party Field. All their children, siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews were there, along with their friends and neighbors. Meriadoc beamed with pride at keeping the surprise a secret until the last moment, and Thain Peregrin introduced his bairn lass Athelas to Young Tom. The two bairns fell asleep side by side on the grass a second later, and Rose and Sam stared at them in wonder.

“Athelas has to stay here,” Sam said, only half-jokingly. “You, Diamond, Faramir, Bergil and Peridot are just going to have to move in.”

“Perhaps we can visit for a few days,” Peregrin agreed. “Everard and Pervinca can handle things at the Smials for a while.”  

25 Foreyule, 1449 SR

“And so it was that the Thain and Master remained at Bag End for the rest of that week, and Young Tolman slept as peaceful as can be hoped for,” Sam said, winding down his birthday tale.

“Then Athelas left and Tom started crying again,” teased Elanor.

“Crying all day, all night,” Frodo-lad added. “I thought my ears would start bleeding.”

“I wasn’t that bad,” Tom protested.

“Yes you were,” his twelve older siblings replied in unison.

Tom gawked at Robin. “You were too young to even remember!”

“Was not.”

“Was so.”

“Was not.”

“Children,” Rose warned gently.

“As I was saying,” Sam continued, “so it was that seven years ago Young Tom joined the Gamgee family and he was the most famous bairn in all the land. And so it was that the Gamgees lived happily ever after for the rest of their days, and the dwarves were wrong all along. Thirteen is a lucky number,” Sam finished his tale and the children and Rose applauded. Tom beamed with pride.

“Tell about how I was born,” Ruby said, yawning widely.

“When it’s your birthday, I will,” Sam said.

“When do we get to go to Gondor, Dad?” Frodo asked and the rest of the children perked up eagerly.

“I don’t know, Fro,” Sam answered. “That takes a lot of planning and you’re all not old enough yet. Maybe one day you’ll all get to go.”

“But that day is not today,” Rose said. “It’s time for you young ones to get off to bed, and you older ones to clean up the kitchen and sitting rooms.”

“Yes Mother,” the children chimed and followed Rose out of the study. Sam watched them file out, smiling fondly at their retreating backs. When the door closed behind them, he turned to the study window and watched the snow falling gently to the ground, and from the kitchen came the sounds of the older children laughing as they washed the dishes.

The end.

GF 11/6/06