I Will Return

In the Cellar





Frodo stood nervously with Sam at the door of the Turnbuckle's hobbit hole.

"Why am I so nervous, Sam?" he asked his friend. "Peony's just a lass,

like any other."

"You just keep tellin' yourself that, Mr. Frodo," Sam said.

Frodo slowly knocked on the door. It was opened by Mr. Turnbuckle.

"Why hello there, lads! You've come for the party, then?"

"Yes, sir," replied Frodo.

"And we brought some food!"

"Oh, how kind of ye! It's a good thing too. With all these guests in

the house I'm getting low on vittles."

Mr. Turnbuckle ushered them in to a houseful hobbits. Everyone was laughing, eating, chugging ale, the usual hobbit party.

"Frodo!"

Suddenly a lass almost barreled into him. "Sorry about that." It was Peony. "Me brothers get a bit pushy after their fifteenth pint."

"And how are you?" Frodo said, trying to ignore how close they were

forced to be, with all the people there, and all.

"I'm doin' fine."

Silence then reigned; well silence between those two, the rest of the company was loud enough for the entire Shire to hear.

"I had better go check up on the ale," Peony said, "before me brothers

consume the entire barrel."

"I'll go with you," Frodo offered. "I could actually use a little ale

myself."

"All right, follow me."

Peony led Frodo down to the cellar where the barrels and wine bottles were kept. It was dark and damp. Frodo felt himself bump into Peony ahead of him.

"Oh, I'm very sorry!"

"That's quite alright, I can't blame you, it's very dark down here!

Wait a bit while I get the lantern lit."

Frodo heard a scraping sound then the area around them was illuminated. The hobbit could see racks upon racks of wine bottles and also five barrels of ale in the corner, which they then sat upon.

"It's amazing how much of the party you cannot hear down here," Frodo remarked.

"Yes, it's very quiet," Peony agreed. "This is where I usually come to

cool off on a hot day, and to get some peace and quiet. Peony then

hopped off the barrel. "Well, lets see how much of this me brothers

have drained."

Peony opened the tap to find only droplets coming out.

"Well, that settles it, this one's empty." Frodo jumped off and helped

Peony move the barrel aside. The hobbit lass then grabbed a mug that

was sitting near the barrel and filled it.

"Would you like a glass of ale, Frodo?"

"Oh, yes please," he answered taking the glass. "Aren't you going to

have some?" Frodo asked.

"I already had some upstairs."

Frodo and Peony sat on top of the barrels for a while; Peony was swinging her legs while just reveling in the quiet. The two did not notice the barrels shifting from their combined weight and the swinging of Peony legs.

All of a sudden, the barrels collapsed and sent the hobbits sprawling to the floor. Frodo figured he must have landed in a pile of clothes, or something, for whatever he landed on was soft. He just hoped that Peony was so lucky.

"Peony! Peony! Are you alright?" Frodo cried.

"Well."

Frodo heard her voice answer from under him. Frodo raised himself up on his arms and looked down. Frodo could see in the dim light Peony's face looking up at him.

"Hello," he said quietly, with a slight grin.

Peony looked quite shaken but did smile back. Suddenly Peony reached up and tucked a dark lock behind Frodo's ear. Her hand then traced his jaw-line, then began to trace his lips.

"Frodo . . ."

Suddenly there was the sound of a pair of feet on the stairs and before Peony of Frodo could move, one of Peony's brothers could be heard saying:

"Is there any more ale?-Oh, excuse me--- wait a second!"

"No, it's not what you think!" Frodo cried out, scrambling to his feet.

"Oh, it isn't, eh?" It was Peony's eldest brother, Tomil. He grabbed Frodo by the collar. "'ere wha' were ye doin' to my li'al sister?"

"Nothing shameful, I assure you!"

"Oh, really?"

"He's telling the truth, Tomil!" Peony cried.

Tomil looked at Peony over Frodo's shoulder than looked at Frodo again. With a scowl he let go of the other hobbit. "I'll be watchin' you," he said threateningly as he went up the cellar stairs.

Frodo and Peony looked at each other and both gave a relieved chuckle.

"I guess we had better." Peony began, motioning to the staircase.

"Yes, I guess we had."

When everything was said and done and all the partygoers said "good night," Frodo and Sam headed on home.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Sam," Frodo asked as they both walked down the road in the evening twilight, "when did you first realize that you were in love with Rosie?"

"What makes you think I'm in love with Miss Cotton?" Sam asked reddening

Frodo just looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, okay ." Sam said with a grin.

"So, Sam when did you first realize it?"

"When I saw her dancin' that night at Mister Baggins' birthday party." Sam's eyes got a far-off look in them. "She was like a vision, Frodo, with her golden hair an' all . . . then I saw her dance with Fatty Bolger . . . I knew I wanted to be in his place an' hold her. an' caress those golden curls . . . have her smile at me . . . spend the rest of my days under those blue eyes . . ." Suddenly Sam cleared his throat. "Does tha' answer your question, Mr. Frodo?"

"Yes, Sam . . . it does."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Frodo stepped out his door after his elevensies, which he preferred to make himself, to see Sam running up the lane.

"Mr. Frodo! Mr. Frodo!"

"What is it Sam?"

"She kissed me!" Sam cried, grabbing his friend by the shoulders.

"Who kissed you?" Frodo asked, though he had a good idea who.

"Rosie Cotton!"

Frodo's face spread into a wide grin. "That's wonderful Sam! How did this happen?"

"Well, I was walkin' down to the fishin' pond, you know, like I do every Sunnendei, when I saw Rosie sittin' up in a tree. She was on the limb overhangin' the pond, eatin' an apple!

"Well, you could imagine my surprise seein' her sittin' a way up there. But, suddenly she caught sight o' me and was startled I guess, 'cause then she gave a cry and afore I knew she was fallin' into the pond!

"Well, right then and there, Mr. Frodo I dropped my fishin' tools and jumped in the pond to save her. Then I remembered that I couldn't swim. Lucky for me, Rosie could." Sam blushed at this, a bit embarrassed. "She pulled me up on shore and I opened my eyes to seein' her lovely face smilin' down on me. Her golden curls were wet with water makin' her hair sparkle in the sunlight. I don't know what came over me Mr. Frodo but the next thing I knew, I was kissin' her an' she was kissin' me!"

"Well! Finally, a move is made! She just beat you to it!"

"Yeah." Sam said with a sheepish grin.

"So, where's Rosie now?"

"I walked her home. She told me to meet her at the Green Dragon tonight! Oh, Mr. Frodo I canna' begin to tell ya how happy I am right now!"

Frodo gave his friend a warm smile and gave him a pat on the back.

"Now, it's your turn with Peony, Frodo!" Sam said with a nudge. Before Frodo could say anything, Sam sped off yelling: "I gotta get ready for tonight!"

"This early?"



*~*~*~*~*~*

That night at the Green Dragon things were very festive. Frodo tried to make conversation but couldn't. Rosie and Sam just made googly-eyes at each other the entire time. Frodo looked around the tavern hoping desperately to find Peony there, but was disappointed.

When it was time to go they both said their goodnights to Rosie. Sam and Rosie didn't kiss before they left each other, though, both shy of showing intimacy of that kind in public, at the moment.



*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When Sam and Frodo said good night at their partings in the road, Frodo stepped up to the green door of Bag-End to find it ajar. Frodo frowned and slowly stepped inside. He felt a draft and found the study window to be open. Papers were fluttering everywhere. He cautiously stepped into the room. Suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder, Frodo gasped and turned around to behold a very distraught Gandalf.

"Is It secret?" he hissed urgently, "is It safe?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*