~10~

Our first day in Minas Tirith starts off slowly, sort of relaxed and lazy. I wake late after everyone else, and lie in bed, glad that we don’t have to do anything today if we don’t want to.

My peace is interrupted when Pippin bounds through the door and leaps onto the bed.

“Wake up, Frodo! Sam’s making elevenses and if you don’t hurry and get up you’ll miss it!” he says, grinning at me.

I drag myself out of bed after throwing the deserved pillow in the direction of my cousin, and change into some of Merry’s old clothes that he’d outgrown, then join my friends in the kitchen.

Legolas has joined us this morning; his room and Gimli’s room are just across the hall, next to Gandalf’s, so they intend to be over a lot.

They greet me as I enter.

“Good morning, Frodo!” Legolas calls from his perch on the counter in the kitchen. “I trust you slept well?”

I smile and nod. “I did, actually,” I reply, going to stand by Sam at the woodstove. He smiles at me as I hug him, then turn to join my cousins in their conversation with our visitor.

“But really,” Pippin says. “Where ought we to take them first? After all, there is so much to see in Minas Tirith, and one must try to see it all!”

“I doubt you could see it all in just this visit alone,” Legolas states. “You should ask Faramir to show you around when he has the time.” The Elf is smiling patiently at my cousin.

After a moment of Pippin and Merry discussing where they might take Sam and I, Sam is finished with the meat and potatoes he had been cooking, and I jump up to help him serve it.

“Hobbits have such interesting customs,” Legolas says, glancing over our meal. They had been invited to eat with us, but we knew they would decline, as Elves stomachs are rather small for being such big people.

I seat myself in between Sam and Legolas and begin a conversation with the Elf about his home.

* * *

We find Faramir shortly afterwards, sitting by himself in a garden one level down from ours.

He rises to greet us as we approach.

“Frodo, Samwise, I am glad to see you again!” he says, clearly happy to finally have a chance to talk with us. “I cannot tell you how overjoyed I was when I heard you had survived.”

We smile, returning his small bow. “We are glad to see you as well, Captain Faramir,” I reply.

“What can I do for you?” he asks.

“Can you show us around Minas Tirith?” Pippin asks without any preamble.

A smile breaks out on Faramir’s face before I have a chance to apologize for my cousin’s rudeness.

“I’d be honored to, Peregrin,” he says, bowing to us. “Where would you like to see first?”

Pippin frowns, thinking for a moment, then says, “Anywhere.”

“Well, that certainly narrows down our options,” the Steward says with a laugh. “Perhaps if I take you through the palace first?”

We all agree to this and are soon going on a tour of the royal chambers where Aragorn will be living and the many rooms of the palace. There are many lovely gardens he takes us through, and Sam has to stop and admire each one, pointing out flowers he has never seen before. There are many different varieties that he says do not grow in the Shire, that Faramir tells him are plentiful in Gondor.

We pass through one garden in particular that Faramir stops in for a moment.

“This was my mother’s garden,” he says, gazing over the small patch of well tended plants before us. There is a bench in the middle underneath a tree to shade it, and a small lawn of well tended grass.

“She used to sit out here with Boromir or I, or sometimes both of us, and tell us stories of her homeland,” he says. “She would often come here when she was troubled. She said this spot was soothing to her.”

“It faces West,” I note quietly. “Perhaps that is why?”

Faramir looks at me to explain further.

“West faces the Sea,” I respond. “She was from the Sea, was she not?” I recall Aragorn mentioning that Faramir’s mother was from Dol Amroth on the Sea.

“Yes, she was,” he says, smiling at me. “She often spoke of it. She said it was the most beautiful sight in all of Arda.”

I try to imagine it, but I can’t. I’ve seen the Sea in my dreams, but I can never remember it after I wake. I turn to face west. I cannot see it from here, but I know it is somewhere beyond the plans and mountains, waiting.

“You are probably right, Frodo,” Faramir concludes. “Shall we go on now?” he asks after a moment of silence.

We agree, and continue on our tour.

* * *

Today starts out much like yesterday, only the sky is darkened by clouds when I wake. The others are again awake before me, but this time I get out of bed without any help from Pippin, dress, and go to join them in the kitchen where they are preparing second breakfast.

Pippin smiles at me when he sees me and says, “You made it just in time, Frodo!”

I grin. “Seems I did,” I reply, sitting down at the table. “Do you know what we’re doing today, Pip?”

“Well, I think we’re entertaining ourselves today. Aragorn stopped by and said he’s busy all day long, and Legolas and Gimli were going to join him,” my cousin says.

My mind quickly runs through all sorts of trouble my cousins could get into out of long habit. “Well, we shall see what we can find to do,” I reply hesitantly.

“Come on, Frodo, we won’t get into much trouble,” Merry says, grinning at me. “I can tell what you’re thinking when you look like that.”

I smile. He knows me too well.

I glance up as something starts pattering overhead. For a moment I wonder if there are hundreds of small creatures running about on the stone roof over us, but then I glance outside and see the rain coming down heavily.

I rise and stand at the archway that leads to the balcony and garden, watching the rain pour down.

“I suppose this means we’ll be entertaining ourselves inside today,” Merry comments, turning to Pippin. “Any ideas on how to do that Pip?”

“Perhaps we could play a game?” he suggests, looking to me hopefully. “What do you think of playing hide and seek after breakfast?”

I grin. “We haven’t played that since we were children. Perhaps we should!” Suddenly the thought of playing a child’s game sounds very entertaining, though hide and seek has never been one of my favorites. It is often too hard, as we hobbits are very good at hiding, and not so good at seeking.

“All right, sounds like a good idea to me,” Merry says, and Sam nods.

“I’m not it!” Pippin shouts immediately, grinning at us.

“I say Merry’s it!” I say, and Sam says, “I’m not it either!”

Merry gapes at us. “That’s not fair, I wasn’t even ready!” He glares at us playfully. “All right, I suppose I’ll be it after we’re done with breakfast.”