A/N: You are all cordially invited to Brend and Violet’s wedding. Enjoy! And be sure to congratulate the happy couple. (And give Frodo an extra hug, he’ll need it)

20 ~ The Wedding

Today is the day of the wedding. It is being held in a beautiful field by the Brandywine. The flowers are just starting to bloom, even though it is still late February, and the sun is shining and warm for the first time this year. Brend looks excited as a child at Yule as he comes up to us before the ceremony, all traces of his earlier inebriation gone.

“First Gen, now me,” he says. “When are you going to find a lass and settle down, Frodo?”

I shake my head. “I shall never marry,” I reply.

“What? The one hobbit who could have almost any girl in the Shire not marry?” he exclaims. “Why not?”

“I can’t,” I say simply. Suddenly I feel so empty. I have nothing left to offer a wife. I used to believe I would marry and have many children to fill Bag End. Now I don’t even want to. I just can’t.

Brend looks at me questioningly, but doesn’t press the matter. “Well,” he says, smiling again, and putting it behind him. “I do believe I must go get ready. I shall see you later!”

He pats Merry on the back, and squeezes my right shoulder. I force a smile in his direction.

“He knows something isn’t right with you, Fro,” Merry states, pulling my sleeve to make me move back with him, letting Sam and Pippin walk on alone. “He’s worried about you.” Merry gazes at me with his piercing grey-blue eyes. “He doesn’t understand what’s happened to you, and I’m not sure I do either.”

I meet his gaze for a moment, then look away, feeling ashamed. He forces my chin up, and says, “We’re here for you, cousin.”

“I’m sorry, Mer,” I say. “Today should be happy.”

“I hope it is, Frodo my lad. And not just for Brend,” Merry replies with a smile.

* * *

We sit near the front and watch as the ceremony commences. Brend is standing near the front under the trellis of purple wisteria flowers, with Gen beside him, and the officiator in the middle. The crowd rises as Violet comes down the aisle, and stands beside Brend.

Violet looks radiant as she smiles up at Brend. She’s waited this long to get married, and has finally found the perfect hobbit for her, and I can tell she’s overjoyed.

After a short speech, the officiator has them sign the marriage certificate that will be filed in Brandy Hall, where Uncle Sara keeps them. Then he turns to the crowd, pronounces them husband and wife, and says, “You may kiss your bride.”

Brend pulls Violet close and kisses her for the very first time. Next to me, Merry and Pippin sigh jokingly, and Sam elbows Merry in the ribs. I smile. As long as my friends are happy, today shall be a happy one.

 * * *

Brend introduces us to Violet afterwards at the feast. She is a charming, sweet girl, with just enough spirit to be able to keep Brend in line.

The meal we spend with Gen and his family, though I haven’t eaten much of it. I do not feel hungry right now.

Before I know it, I have been talked into a retelling of another of Bilbo’s adventures for Gen’s children, and I pull the youngest girl, Ruby, into my lap as the others sit around, intrigued by the tale of the three trolls until it is time to leave.

* * *

I am lying in one of the guest bedrooms late at night in Crickhollow. I can’t sleep. I don’t want to stay awake. I dozed off earlier, but awoke when I found myself dreaming of the sea.

I don’t want to think that leaving Middle-earth is an option. I don’t want to go. I haven’t even told Sam that it is open to me, and to him, should I choose to leave.

I try to think of something else, and my thoughts drift slowly to our story. I have brought it with me, and have let Sam read what I’ve written so far. I have surprised myself at how easy it has been for me, so far, to write so impersonally about the Ring, as if it didn’t really matter to me what its fate was, or that it even existed.

I feel a wave of fear rush down my spine, and I rise and quickly head across the hall to Sam’s room before it overcomes me.

Sam rises on his elbow as I enter. “You can’t sleep either?” he asks.

I shake my head.

“What’s wrong, dear?” Sam asks, sitting up and making room for me on the bed by him.

“My thoughts were running away with me and I just needed company,” I reply. “What’s your excuse?”

Sam blushes in the dim light, then after a moment he says, “T’was a bad dream.”

“What about?” I ask gently.

He shudders. “Mordor. And you. And Gollum.” He shudders again. I pull him close and we wrap our arms around each other.

“You never told me you had nightmares as well, Sam,” I chide him gently.

“I didn’t want you to worry,” Sam replies as I wipe a tear away from his face.

Suddenly I laugh. “Oh, Sam!” I exclaim. “And here I thought you were the only one of us immune to nightmares! You should have told me. I wouldn’t worry, I’d try to help you.”

He buries his head in my shoulder, and for an instant I get a picture in my mind of us as children, me at 21, and him at 9, and I am comforting him during a thunder storm that is frightening me just as much. But then the vision passes, and I am brought back to reality.

“You want to tell me about it?” I ask.

Sam shakes his head. “I’m all right, now.”

“All right. But you will tell me next time?” I say.

“Yes I will.”

I hug him closer. “Good.”

I feel as though now I can repay Sam a little for all that he’s done for me, even though this is only a little thing.

A moment later I realize Sam has fallen asleep in my arms.