4 ~ The Message 

It is two days later. The official document that will seal my fate is sitting on Will's side table. It has only to be signed by the seven witnesses and I shall be locked into another task I am unsure I can accomplish.

Sam has faith in me. I cannot let him down again. I have already agreed to this, so I must do it to the best of my ability, failings or no.

I sign my name under the clause stating my official duties and what is expected of me. My hand, surprisingly, is not shaky or scrawling, as I had suspected it would be. It is still difficult for me to write without a finger, but I was afraid they would attribute such a hand to fear.

I step back and hand to quill to Will, who wipes it, and dips it in the red ink, and the witnesses sign it one by one: William Whitfoot; Paladin Took; Saradoc Brandybuck; Meriadoc Brandybuck; Samwise Gamgee; Hamfast Gamgee; Tolman Cotton.

I glance around at them as they finish, feeling my heart stop pounding, and a calm flow over me. They all think I can do this, and wouldn't be backing me if they didn't.

"Well, that's done," Sam says. "What next?"

"Frodo will file this for me in my office in Hobbiton and take up his official duties in the morning. Really he doesn't need to do much except paperwork, and deal with those confounded Shirrifs."

"Unless Aragorn sends word," Merry adds.

"Who?" Will asks.

"Aragorn, King Elessar," Merry replies. "We talked about him two evenings ago, with all of you."

"What business does he have with the Shire?" Paladin asks, slightly defencive. "You didn't mention that."

"All in good time, Uncle," Merry says. "He wants to help the Shire. He even suggested banning Men from entering."

"How do you know we can trust him? You said you spent much time with him, but didn't say much on his character," Saradoc questions.

"His character is the very highest," I say, glancing at both of them. "He is a very good friend of ours: Merry, Pippin, Sam and I. He is trustworthy, loyal, honest and courageous."

This seems to satisfy them and they cease asking about Aragorn and start discussing banning Men from the Shire.

I sink onto the couch by Sam and try to pay attention to what they are saying, but my thoughts stray to Aragorn and Lady Arwen. I have not heard from them since we parted ways and headed towards the Shire.

Suddenly I turn to Sam. "We did make sure to give him our addresses, didn't we?"

Sam blinks. "Strider?" I nod. "Yes. We gave him mine, and Mr. Merry's and Mr. Pippin's."

"I was afraid we'd forgotten," I reply.

Sam smiles at me, and I look at him quizzically. "What?" I ask.

"I believe that's the most hobbit-like thing I've heard you say in a long while," he says.

I smile back and lean my head on his shoulder. The discussion is giving me a headache. Merry and Pippin sit down next to me. "You worry too much, cousin," Merry says. "You forget, Strider is a Ranger, and most definately capable of tracking you down."

"If they ban Men from the Shire, does that include Gandalf and Aragorn?" Sam asks me.

"Well, Gandalf isn't really a Man, he's a wizard, and quite capable of sneaking in anyhow. I suppose, though, that Aragorn would have to follow his own laws," I reply, thinking what that would mean for the four of us.

Suddenly there is a knock at the door and Mr. Cotton goes to answer it.

A messanger hobbit stands at the door. He smiles at Mr. Cotton and says, "Letter for Mr. Baggins."

I raise my head, and say, "For me?" I am surprised. I haven't gotten any mail since I got back.

The messenger bows and leaves.

"Who is it from?" I ask, rising.

"Lobelia Sackville-Baggins," Mr. Cotton reads slowly. He hands me the letter and I rip it open to read it.

The whole room grows quiet as I read it to myself. Then I look up. "She's giving me Bag End."

"What?" everyone in the room explodes in unison.

"She says she's very sorry for all the trouble she's caused me, and that she doesn't want to live there anyways because of what happened to Lotho," I read.

"She's really changed, hasn't she?" Uncle Sara murmures. I remember her being the reason my aunt and uncle wanted me to come back to Brandy Hall.

"I do believe she has, Uncle." I collapse onto the couch and sigh. Now I can go home. That may help me even more than coming back to the Shire. I hope it does.