Chapter Sixteen

 

Linwe wiped the sweat off of her fore head with the back of her hand. She had spent the entire morning scrubbing the kitchen walls of Bag End. She stopped and stood back to examine her work and was very pleased with what she saw. Bag End had been in a terrible state the first time she had seen it. Linwe had not set foot in it until January, and by then she knew what the old Hobbit whole meant to Frodo. Linwe had cried to see the home he loved dearly so badly damaged. When Healer Burrows no longer had need for her daily assistance with his patents, Linwe put her energies into helping Sam organize and run the project of restoring Bag End. After spending many days working on the home and hearing Frodo tell stories of special memories of the place, Linwe had come to love Bag End as well.

When Linwe was done inspecting her work she glanced out the window and realized it was about lunch time. She set down her scrub brush then headed towards the large, round, green door, pausing just long enough to put on her light cloak and to pick up a picnic basket and blanket that were sitting by the door. Once outside she headed up the hill Bag End was nestled in. The last several days had been unseasonably mild for late February, so that morning Linwe had convinced Frodo to meet her for a picnic on the hill.

As Linwe walked up the hill she saw Frodo sitting back against an accommodating tree stump, smoking his pipe and reading a book. "I hope I have not kept you waiting long." Said Linwe as she drew near.

"You haven’t. I came a little early myself to do a bit of reading." Frodo said as he smiled up at her.

Linwe set the basket and blanket down on the ground. Then stood looking off in the distance, past New Row. "It really is very lovely up here." Said Linwe.

"It was even prettier before the occupation." Said Frodo as he came to stand next to Linwe. "That stump was a favorite tree of mine. I used to come up here to read under it." Said Frodo sadly.

Linwe took Frodo’s hand in her own and squeezed it. "It will all be set to rights soon Frodo. I can feel it."

"I know, and you are absolutely right." Frodo said as he looked at Linwe and smiled. "And despite everything, the Shire is still lovely." Linwe gave Frodo’s hand one last squeeze then turned her attention to setting out their picnic.

Frodo and Linwe ate their lunch and talked while watching a pair of sparrows build a nest in a near by tree. It was not a very big tree, and had gone un-noticed when Saruman took over the Shire.

"How are things progressing in Bag End?" Frodo asked before taking a bite of an apple.

"Everything is coming along fine. I don’t think it will be much longer before you can move back in." Replied Linwe while taking mental note of all that Frodo had eaten. Frodo tended to not eat all that much and she did what she could to encourage him to eat more without looking like that was what she was doing.

"I do have to admit, that I am glad to hear it. But I wish you and Sam would let me help."

"You do so much already with your duties as Deputy Mayor of the Shire. I don’t see that you have time to help at Bag End. In fact you look rather tired now, you should take a nap while you’re up here."

"No I really should go back." Refused Frodo.

"Non-sense, eat this last bit of custard tart and relax for a while. It is a lovely day for it. I am reminded of taking picnics with Merenwen on days like this. It was one of my most favorite things to do. I think my mother loved them as it meant that for a little while she could go about her work without having to stop and answer my questions and deal with my attempts to help her."

Frodo smiled to himself as the Image of a very young Linwe came to mind. He could see her small, round, serious face framed by long loose curls that tended to fall down in her face. The image was so clear he could almost swear that he had actually seen her like that. "Tell me about those picnics." Prompted Frodo.

"Merenwen would take me on these long walks through the woods. Along the way she would point out assorted plants and tell me all about them. She knew every plant that grew in the woods there. I learned so much from those walks. After we had been walking for awhile we would sit and have a little picnic. By the time I would be done eating I was always tired so I would rest my head on Merenwen’s lap and she would sing songs to my while I slept. I always had the nicest dreams those days."

"It does sound like a perfect way to end a picnic." Said Frodo quietly

"Then rest your head here on my lap and I will sing for you."

"I don’t think I should." Frodo said reluctantly.

"Of course you should. In fact I order you to."

"And what gives you the authority to order me around? I am deputy mayor of the Shire after all."

"I claim authority on the grounds that I am older and wiser." Said Linwe drawing herself and giving him a superior look.

"You are not older!" Frodo said with firm disbelief.

"I am sure I am," Linwe said firmly.

"This is a matter easily settled. When is your birthday?"

"September 22, 1368." Said Linwe as though that settled matters.

Frodo laughed "I am sorry to tell you that if you are truly older than me, it is only by minutes or hours at best."

"What do you mean?"

"I too was born on September 22, 1368, just when the first star of the evening made it’s appearance in the sky, according to my mother. She happened to glance out the window at that moment."

Linwe’s eyes went very wide, "Well that is remarkable!" Said Linwe in astonishment.

"What that we should share the exact same birthday, I am sure that isn’t so unusual." Frodo brushed off the coincidence casually, but was secretly pleased by it.

"No, not that, or rather that is part of it. My father told me that he had just seen the first star of evening appear in the sky the moment he heard my first cries."

 

~~~~~

Rosie and Linwe were returning home, having spent the morning doing the marketing. The mild weather of February had turned into an early spring. Rosie and Linwe walked along under a clear blue sky; the air smelled of new growth and fresh tilled earth. "Everything is nearly done at Bag End." Observed Rosie.

"Yes, I think by the time Sam returns from planting trees all about the Shire, Bag End will be ready for Frodo to move into." Said Linwe

"There were times when I wondered if it was possible to set the place to rights."

"Rosie Cotton! What a thing to suggest, that is like saying you had doubts about Sam’s ability to see it done." Teased Linwe.

Rosie laughed. "I have never had any doubts in Sam. If he had to, Sam would have dug out a new Bag End with his bare hands and would have even made it an exact copy of the original down to the merest scratch in the wood work."

"Considering the filth that had to be dealt with, I often wondered if rebuilding would not have been a better idea. I can hardly believe it is nearly complete."

"Linwe, what will you do when all is done and Frodo has moved back?"

"I guess about the only thing I can do. I will go back to Brandy Hall. I can’t very well stay on here as a permanent guest to your family."

"I don’t think Mother and Father would mind if you did, but you have to stay at least until Sam and I are wed."

"Has he finally spoken for you?"

"Not yet, but I think he will as soon as he gets back. And you must stand up with me at the wedding."

"Oh Rosie, there is nothing I should like more!" cried Linwe.

"But don’t expect the wedding to soon follow. Sam will not want to set a firm date until he has a proper home ready for us."

The two friends continued walking on, talking about wedding plans, and considering how soon it might be before Rosie and Sam would finally be married. Suddenly Linwe stopped. "Linwe, are you all right?" Rosie asked, noticing that Linwe looked pale.

"I don’t know. I just suddenly feel quite dizzy."

"Your white as a sheet dear, maybe you should put down your basket and sit down for a rest."

"No, we only have a very short way to go now, I am sure I will be fine. I just think I need to get back to the house." Linwe had only taken a few steps more when she suddenly cried out, as though she were in pain. Her basket fell from her hand falling to the ground and spilling it’s contents across the road way. Linwe grabbed the back of her neck and moaned. Her knees starting to give way beneath her.

Rosie dropped her own basket and quickly got her arms around Linwe, just barely managing to keep her from collapsing to the ground. "Linwe! What is it? What is wrong?"

"Frodo! It’s Frodo! He’s hurting!" gasped Linwe

"What… How can you know that?"

"Please Rosie, I have to go to him now!"

"All right, We will get you there."

Rosie helped Linwe hurry home as fast as they could go. Linwe stumbled a few times and but never stopped. Drawing on her own inner strength, Linwe held off the pain and nausea the threatened to overcome her. Soon they were back in the Cotton home and Linwe was rushing down the hall to Frodo’s room. There she found the door wide open. Farmer Cotton was there, looking down on Frodo who was on the bed, curled up on his side clutching a white jewel that hung from a chain around his neck. "What happened?" demanded Linwe

"I don’t know." Said the old farmer in alarm, "I heard the sound of something breaking in here, so I came to the door and asked if all was well. He did not answer so I came on in and found the poor lad like this."

Linwe sat down on the bed and laid a hand on Frodo’s shoulder. His eyes were open but he seemed to be in a sort of trance. "Frodo? Can you hear me?" Frodo said nothing. "Frodo!" She called a bit louder. "Can you speak to me?"

"It is gone." He muttered "Now all is dark and empty."

"Linwe, what is wrong? Do you know?" Asked Rosie from the doorway.

"I don’t know." Said Linwe looking sadly on Frodo.

 

~~~~~

Frodo took not notice as gentle caring hands settled him more comfortably into his bed. Linwe sat on the edge of his bed bathing his brow with a cool cloth, but he did not appear to notice that either. Linwe’s thoughts wandered from ways she might be able to comfort him, to thoughts of what had comforted her as a child. She thought of picnics. There were picnics with Merenwen. Then she thought of more recent picnics with Frodo on the hill top above Bag End. In the last several weeks this had become nearly a daily routine for them. One that she knew they both looked forward to. The picnics frequently ended the same now, with Frodo resting his head on Linwe’s skirts and listening to her sing. Linwe set the cloth aside and moved so that she was leaning back against the head board. Once comfortable settled herself she took his maimed hand into one of her own and with her other hand she started to slowly comb through the curls on his temple. In a soft voice Linwe started to sing. Slowly the lines of pain, relaxed and smoothed from Frodo’s face. His eyes closed and he sighed once as he drifted into sleep.

Hours passed and Linwe sat singing or humming every soothing song she could think of. Rosie would look in from time to time and bring Linwe cups of tea, but for the most part Linwe was left alone to care for Frodo. Afternoon shadows passed into a colorful sunset. Linwe sat watching through the window as the sky turned from orange to pink then darkened to purple and dark blue, and sang an elvish song that had long been a favorite of hers. Linwe came to the end of the song and was humming through the melody when she heard Frodo speak in a tired quiet voice, "I have heard you sing that song before;" was all he said before drifting back off into sleep.

Sometime after nightfall Linwe had dozed off where she sat. When she woke up again she had found someone had come in and draped a shawl around her shoulders and had left a single candle burning. Linwe shifted then looked down at Frodo’s face and found his eyes wide open. "Frodo? Are you awake?"

"I am." He said quietly.

Linwe laid a hand on his brow and he closed his eyes. "Is there anything I can do for you?

"Just stay with me." He said in a weary voice.

Linwe sat looking at his face. It seemed that every line was tinged with sadness and it broke her heart. At that moment Linwe felt that there was nothing she would not do to ease the pain she felt emanating from him.

Frodo shivered. Despite the heavy quilts that covered him, it seemed he could not get warm. Linwe stood for a moment, fluffed up the pillows on the bed, pulled the shawl more snugly about her, then lifted up the quilt and climbed into the bed next to Frodo in hopes of helping him get warm. Linwe gingerly worked her arm beneath Frodo’s neck and shoulders and took him into her arms. She rested Frodo’s head on her shoulder, his brow resting against her neck. Linwe pulled back her head a little bit and kissed his brow. Frodo let out a shuddering sigh, then putting one arm around Linwe he held her closer. "Please sing that song again, the one I have heard you sing before." She heard him whisper. Linwe relaxed against the pillows and started to sing.