Lord of the Rings: I Will Protect You

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Title: I Will Protect You
Author: Serena-chan
Category: Books
Sub-category: Lord of the Rings
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, Adventure
Pairing: Frodo Baggins / OFC - Original Female Character

Chapter 1: Orc Attack

"Frodo! Can't we stop a minute? I dunno if I can keep up this pace."

Frodo Baggins turned toward his friend, "Right, Sam. We can rest on those logs over there."

Sam nodded thankfully and plopped down on one of the logs, massaging his aching feet. Frodo sat on a log opposite him. They had been walking nearly all day through a dense forest that showed no signs of ending anytime soon.

All of a sudden, Frodo had the strange feeling that he was being watched. All the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. His muscles went tense. His hand flew worriedly to his throat, feeling the ring through his clothing. He sat there, not breathing, just listening, his hand closed protectively around the ring.

Then, just as suddenly as the feeling came upon him, it left. He relaxed, though was still worried and sat there, wondering about the cause of the feeling that had come over him.

He didn't have long to ponder though, for out of nowhere, an orc flew through the trees, sword drawn. Many more followed it, all attacking at once.

"On your feet, Sam!" Frodo yelled, pulling his sword, which was glowing blue, from his belt.

"Why didn't that sword of yours warn you?" Sam yelled, hefting his own sword against an orc.

"I was...distracted." He called out through the battle. There were far too many orcs for them to handle on their own. He was surrounded on all sides. He hacked at as many as he could, but he always had to turn his back to others, who where hitting him hard with theirs swords. The impact of theirs weapons hurt even though they could not cut him through the armor that Bilbo had given him.

One of the orcs swords hit him hard at the base of his throat. It cut deep where the armor could not protect him. He gasped at the pain that seared through him like a knife. He still continued to fight, but a red haze was beginning to come over him.

"Sam!" he yelled as his knees buckled under him. He was soaked in his own blood and more was still gushing from his wound. An orc stepped above his and raised his sword. Frodo tried to reach up and grasp the ring but he was too weak. This is it, he thought.

Suddenly, a dagger went flying through the air and hit the orc in the chest. He fell, his sword clattering on the ground just inches away from Frodo. A figure came after the dagger, wielding a sword. Frodo looked up at the figure in a daze as the orcs fell dead beneath the newcomer's sword. The mystery person wore a heavy dark brown cloak, which made it impossible to see the person's face.

Frodo blacked out at this point. The orcs began retreating, and Sam turned to the cloaked figure, who had pushed back the hood slightly, revealing a proud face.

"Thank you, sir, for your help!" Sam said, running up "but who are you, and where did you learn to fight like that?"

"Actually," the newcomer replied in a soft, melodic voice, "I prefer to be called 'miss,' if you don't mind." The person withdrew her cloak and hood. Waves of blond hair cascaded down her back. Though she wore a man's trousers and shirt, the figure was definitely a woman's. She was the same size as a he and Frodo, but from the soft white glow that emitted from her very skin, she was no hobbit.

Sam's jaw dropped, "Sorry!" he exclaimed, "but the way you fought, I thought-"

"There's no time!" she replied, "You're friend's hurt badly."

Sam looked past her to where Frodo lay in a pool of blood. "Frodo!" Sam shouted, rushing past the girl to where he lay. He lifted Frodo's head and Frodo moaned slightly. "We've got to help him! He's dying!" Sam looked up at the girl.

She had gone over to where a silvery white mare stood waiting. She reached into the saddlebags and produced a red velvet pouch. Walking over, she pulled a round object, wrapped in leather from it. She dropped to her knees beside Frodo and unwrapped the object. It was a glass ball about the size of her palm. Inside the ball was a shimmering white light that was so bright it lit up the entire woods surrounding them.

"I can help your friend," the girl said slowly, "but you must lay him flat, and then stand a good distance away."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Sam eyed her suspiciously.

"You'll just have to." she replied, "You have no other option at this point. He will be dead before you can get help."

Sam looked at her a long moment, before slowly laying Frodo onto the leaf covered ground and backing away. The girl took the light-filled ball and gripped it firmly in her hand. She tapped it on a nearby rock, just hard enough that cracks ran all through the glass.

Carefully, she held the ball over Frodo and pulled the glass apart. (This was much like cracking an egg, and then holding it over a bowel before opening it.) The light spilled out and surrounded Frodo. It melted into his skin. He burned so brightly that Sam had to cover his eyes.

Then, the glow slowly faded. Frodo was lying on the ground, the color returning to his skin. The cut was gone. Not even a scar remained of it. The only thing to suggest that he had ever been injured were the bloodstains on his shirt.

"He'll be alright now." she said, "Let him rest for awhile. He should awaken soon. He's had a nasty shock."

Sam ventured a few steps toward her. "What was that?"

"It was a Glacious Ball." she replied, "It has the power of pure life inside of it. Once it is opened above a wounded or sick person, it enters their body and heals them immediately, even if they are seconds away from death. It was made by the unicorn king years ago, because, as you know, unicorns are the most pure and possibly the most magical creatures in existence. I saved the king's life, and he gave me the ball.

"Now let's get this bloody thing off him. I have a clean shirt in my saddle bags that I think will fit him."

Sam knelt beside the girl and helped her remove Frodo's shirt, moving him as little as possible. "He's lucky he had this to protect him." She said, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping the blood off his armor. She spotted the ring hanging on a chain around Frodo's neck. "So, this is indeed Master Frodo Baggins."

"Yes," said Sam, who had decided to trust her, "it is."

Frodo moaned and began to stir. "He's waking up." she said, "Go and get the shirt and a flask of water from my horse. They should be in the left saddlebag. I'll prop him up against one of these logs." She lifted him with amazing strength and carried him over to where Frodo and Sam had been sitting earlier, propping him up against one of the logs. Sam gaped at her for a moment, awed by her strength, before rushing to do as she asked.

Frodo moaned again and opened his eyes. His vision was still very blurry, but he could make out a beautiful girl kneeling next to him. She had long blond hair and a soft white glow emitted from her body. "Are you an angel?" he asked softly.

"Of course not, silly." she answered in a sweet voice.

"Here." Sam came rushing over with the shirt and water. She took the flask from him.

"Drink this." she ordered, lifting the flask to his mouth. Frodo did as he was told, and soon he was able to hold the flask by himself. He blinked a few times and his vision cleared. He was sitting on the forest floor, leaning against a log. Sam was next to him on his left side, and on his other sat a girl he had never seen before in his life, though her eyes looked slightly familiar. She wore a white baggy man's shirt with reddish brown pants. She had a belt, to which a sword was attached.

"Who are you?" Frodo asked at last.

"My name is Lorenthia, and I am here to serve you."

Chapter 2: Lorenthia

"My name is Lorenthia, and I am here to serve you."

"What?" asked Frodo.

"The sun has nearly set," she said, getting up, "You stay here and rest. Sam, stay with him. I will go and gather some firewood. I will answer all your questions soon after that is done." Turning abruptly, she set off into the woods.

Frodo gave Sam a questioning look. Sam just shrugged. "I think we should trust her. She saved your life after all. Here, put this on. Your other shirt got ruined." He handed Frodo the shirt and helped him sit up.

Lorenthia returned with the wood and built a fire. She then brought her horse over near them. Reaching into her saddlebag, she pulled out food and three blankets. Sam helped Frodo over near the fire while she spread the blankets out for them to sit on. When they were all seated around the fire with food in front of them, Frodo spoke again, "I know you name, but I still don't really know who you are or why you are here, and how do you know about me?"

She smiled, "I suppose the story begins when I was ten years old. I had dreams of a boy with curly dark hair named Frodo Baggins. In the dreams, I learned all about the boy. What his name was, where he lived, what was going on in his life...everything. The dreams came and went all through my childhood. I was never sure why I had them or if the people in them existed, I just knew that it was like visiting dear friends in my dreams.

"The dreams stopped as I grew older, but I never forgot them or the people in them. After a time, I began to wonder if they ever existed. Then, the visions started. I would have about one every day. At first, I thought it was just my imagination, but as I ignored them, they happened more and more often. In the vision, the boy I had dream about had discovered a ring. The Ring of Power. The visions told me where to find you."

"B-but why?" asked Frodo, "Why were you sent to me?"

"I don't know, myself." she replied, "There must have been some reason why I dreamed of you, and was sent to you. Until we can figure it out, all I know is that I must stay with you and help you with your quest."

"I'm not sure that it's such a good idea." Said Sam, "It will be dangerous."

"Don't worry about that." She said, "Judging by that orc attack, you could use an extra fighter."

"True." Admitted Sam.

"We'd better get to sleep, morning will be here before we know it."

They nodded and readied themselves for bed. Sam was soon snoring, but Frodo lay awake, turning the day's events over and over in his head. Glancing over at Lorentia, he found her pearing up at the stars.

"This is so strange." Frodo whispered to her, "You know all about me, but I hardly know anything about you."

She rolled over to face him, smiling. "What would you like to know?"

"Well," he thought a moment, "what are you exactly? I mean, your not a hobbit are you?"

"I'm half hobbit, half fairy."

"Fairy?" said Frodo, curiously.

"Yeah."

"But aren't you a little tall to be half fairy?"

"No," she whispered, "Fairies can use their magic to change their size."

"Do you have magic powers?" he asked, interested.

"Some," she admitted, "but their almost useless when it comes to fighting. They just weren't meant for causing damage. So, I had to learn to fight the normal way."

"What are they used for?"

"Mosly for creating things." she said, "Watch." Crawling out from under her blanket. She knelt on the earth beside him and placed her hands on the ground. Her hands began to glow a soft pink. She slowly pulled her hands away from the dirt, her magic leaving a glittering trail into the earth. The dirt spit away slightly and a plant grew up from it. It bloomed into a beautiful yellow flower, which continued to glow with a bright golden glow, long after she had withdraw her magic.

"It's beautiful." Frodo said, awed. He leaned forward to smell it. The scent was like nothing he had ever smelt before. It was lovely. Sort of like a cross between a rose and a daffodil.

"I'm glad you like it." she smiled. "Now go to sleep, the sun will be up soon."

Chapter 3: Orcs and Cliffs

The next day was a beautiful one, bright skies, warm sunlight, cool breeze. The ideal weather for traveling. The group had gotten an early start and were now taking a well earned rest beside a newly found river that ran through the woods.

As they sat beside the river, Lorenthia happily pointed out the various wild flowers that surrounded them, telling them of what magical properties the flowers contained.

"I never knew flowers could be so useful." Said Sam, admiring a patch of Foreget-Me-Nots at his feet, which (according to Lorenthia) could brew a strong love potion and had the power to unlock hidden treasure. Sam had been a bit uneasy about Lorenthia that morning, but after he had found out that she had apple pie and sausages in her bags, he had been quite friendly with her.

"How did you learn all this?" asked Frodo.

"Well," she replied, "when you've lived with fairies for most of your life, you just pick these things up."

"What are these for?" Frodo pointed at a patch of white flowers.

"These are called Heather." She explained, "It is a strong symbol of solitude. People who enjoy living alone often eat its stalks. In this case, this is white heather, which is said to bring good luck."

"We could do with a bit of that." Laughed Sam, "We need all the luck we can get, and we don't want to be found."

A crunch in the leaves behind them told them that they were not alone. Frodo pulled his sword out of its sheath enough to see that the blade was glowing blue.

"Orcs!" He said in alarm.

"Hurry, this way!" Said Lorenthia, running along the bank of the river. "If we can loose them, we can avoid a battle with them."

They raced forward along the bank of the river. They didn't stop to look, but they could hear the orcs crashing through the leaves behind them. From the sound of it, they were closing in on they're other side, too. They didn't dare try to cross the river, for the current was far too strong that day.

Up ahead of them, they could see the end of the woods. Bursting out of the trees, they found to their dismay, that the land ended in a very sharp cliff, where the river tumbled downward in a waterfall. Turning, they found that all exits were barred by about a dozen orcs.

"Well, it looks like we fight." Said Lorenthia, drawing her sword. Frodo and Sam did the same, charging at the orcs.

The battle was on, and they seemed to be winning. Looking around, Lorenthia felt a bit uneasy. The remaining orcs were slowly pushing them toward the edge of the cliff. A few steps further and they'd all be flung down about a hundred feet.

Frodo didn't seem to realize this as he continued to fight. One orc swung a heavy piece of wood at him, and he jumped back, just inches from the edge.

"Frodo, look behind you!" She yelled. Her voice distracted Frodo, and he turned his attention to her. The orc swung the wood again and hit him on the chest knocking him backward.

"Frodo!" Lorenthia ran forward and jumped off the edge after him. Throwing her body downward, she grasped his hand. She reached up with her other hand as they continued to fall, and grabbed hold a branch sticking out from the side of the cliff.

"Hang on!" She yelled, trying to pull him up so that he could grasp the branch, too. They heard a yell and looked up. Sam had been outnumbered by orcs and was knocked off the cliff.

"Sam!" Frodo yelled.

"Quick," said Lorenthia, "Grab his hand."

As Sam fell, Frodo took his remaining hand and grabbed his friend, forming a human chain. Unfortunately, the weight of all three of them was too much for the branch. It broke, sending them all hurtling downwards. Frodo heard himself scream as he fell and blacked out.

Chapter 4: Moonlight and Fairy Wings

Unfortunately, the weight of all three of them was too much for the branch. It broke, sending them all hurtling downwards. Frodo heard himself scream as he fell and blacked out.

At the last second, Lorenthia flung her arms around Frodo and turned so that she would be the one to hit the ground.

Wham! The pain of the impact seared through her. Her lungs could no longer draw in breath, her bones were all broken. Through the haze that surrounded her, she realized that Frodo, who was lying unconscious on top of her, was alright.

He's safe, she thought as blackness surrounded her. That's all that matters.

When consciousness first seeped into Frodo's brain, he felt very confused and wondered where he was. He was aware that he was laying on something very soft and silky. He tried to move, and pain shot through him like a knife.

What had happened? He tried to remember. He and Sam had been walking in the woods with Lorenthia when. . .

His eyes snapped open and he sat up, gasping at the pain that it caused him.

"Lay down! You'll only make it worse!"

Frodo lay back and looked around him, startled. He was in a beautiful, airy room with huge windows that sunlight streamed through. He lay in a soft bed that felt as though it had been stuffed with feathers. The sheets around him were a soft red and had an odd texture, almost like a rose petal.

A girl was peering at him from a wooden chair beside his bed. She had soft brown hair that fell in springy curls to her shoulders. Her eyes were a startling forest green.

"Where am I?" Frodo asked.

"You are in the kingdom of the fairies," she responded in a sweet voice. "Do not worry. You are quite safe here."

"What?!" Said Frodo, looking at the girl more closely. She was wearing a dress made out of deep purple flower petals with green ferns tying them in place. Around her head was wrapped a green fern, and from her back, glistening wings grew. A faint green glow surrounded her.

Frodo gasped, "Then, you a-a fairy?!"

"Of course I am," she said laughing, a sound that was remarkably like a bell, "Just like your friend, Lorenthia."

"Where is she?" asked Frodo, "What happened? How did we get here? What-"

"Calm down," she interrupted, "Some of our people found you lying injured at the base of a cliff. They recognized Lorenthia and brought you here. We used our magic to make you and your friend smaller so that it would be easier for us to heal you."

"What about Sam and Lorenthia?" Frodo asked impatiently, "What happened to them?"

"Lorenthia was hurt very badly. She took the fall for you."

Frodo was silent a moment. "She did that for me? But, why?"

"You'll have to ask her that yourself. Don't worry, though. She is a fairy, and with her magic and a little help from the healers, she will be better in no time. As for the other boy that was with you. . .I'm not sure how he is doing at the moment. From what I hear, his condition was quite critical when they found him, but I really don't have any information on him."

"Is he going to die?" asked Frodo, nearly sick with worry.

"Die?" The girl asked, as though the possibility had never even entered her mind. "He is being looked after by the lead healer of our kingdom. Our healer here is the best in the world. He has even brought people back from death! So, don't worry. I'm sure your friend will be better very soon."

"Thank goodness." Frodo sighed in relief, "By the way, who are you?"

"You would not be able to understand it if I did say it for you. Our language is too complex to be heard with by the ears of hobbits. Just call me Fern. That is what my name means in the language we speak here."

"What language do you speak?" asked Frodo, curious.

Fern smiled, "It does not have a name. It is the language of the tree spirits. It has existed ever since the beginning of time."

"Is Lorenthia well enough that I might go and see her?" he asked tentatively.

Fern tucked the petals in more firmly around him, "She is well enough for visitors, but you, however, are not well enough to go anywhere, at the moment."

"But I need to talk to her!"

"What you need," said Fern sternly, "is more rest."

Frodo sighed, "I don't think I could sleep even if I tried."

"Here," Fern rose to her feet, "I'll help." The air tingled with glistening green colored magic, and Frodo felt himself fall into a deep slumber.

When Frodo woke next, a comfortable darkness cloaked the air around him. Through his window, he could see a bright moon and twinkling stars. He lay there a moment, thinking. His first thoughts were of Sam. He was still a bit concerned for his friend, even after Fern's reassurances.

Fern was no where in site. Must be in her own room, sleeping. Frodo thought. His next thoughts were of Lorenthia. She had saved him. Why? Why had she done that? They'd only known each other for a few days. She could have been killed.

Suddenly, Frodo felt very awake. He wanted to go talk to her. He sat up and the pain crept through him once more, though it wasn't nearly as bad as the first time. Standing up and actually walking, however, was an entirely different matter. Frodo had to bite his lip hard to keep from crying out in pain.

Frodo stepped quietly out of his room and into a moonlit hall that was lined with marble. Fern had said that Lorenthia was in the room next to him, but which one? There was a door both sides of his. He examined the door to his left. It had something written on it in a language that he couldn't read. Underneath the engravings there was carved a picture of a Fern.

This must be Fern's room, he thought, So, then the other door must be Lorenthia's.

He knocked softly on the other door which also had the odd engravings and a carving of a lily. There was no answer. So, after debating for a few moments, he decided to take a chance. He opened the door, and peered inside.

Lorenthia lay on pale white lily petals, her long golden hair spread on the pillow. She looked so lovely, laying there in the moonlight. Frodo felt his heart thump in his chest. Shutting the door behind him, he walked quietly toward her.

"Lorenthia," he whispered.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked over at him. She smiled when she saw who it was.

"Frodo," she said happily, "how are you? I wanted to come see you, but they wouldn't let me."

"I know, they told me not to come see you either, but I had to talk to you."

"Here," she said, sitting up and scooting over, "sit down."

He sat down next to her on the bed. He noticed when she had sat up, that she too had wings. They weren't green like Fern's, though. Lorenthia's glistened a pale silvery pink in the moonlight.

"I didn't know you had wings." he said, staring at them.

"Yes, but only when I'm my regular size." Lorenthia explained.

"They're beautiful," whispered Frodo in an awed voice. He reached out a hand, but stopped.

"Go ahead," she said in amusement, "I don't mind."

Frodo reached out a trembling hand and softly caressed one of her wings with his fingertips. It was like nothing Frodo had ever felt before. It was like touching mist, only it was solid and sent little tingles of magic up through his fingers.

"Wow," he murmured, withdrawing his hand.

Lorenthia laughed softly and pulled her knees up to her chest. "What did you want to talk to me about, Frodo?"

"Well," Frodo wasn't quite sure how to say what he wanted to say, "why did you do that? Why did you save me? You could have been killed! I mean, we barely know each other, and you-"

"Frodo," she whispered, taking one of his hands gently in hers, "you're forgetting. I've know you my entire life." Frodo stared into her eyes for a long while. There was something there in them. Something that he couldn't quite place. It made him want to tremble and scream for joy all at the same time. He sighed, breaking the gaze, suddenly very tired.

Lorenthia seemed to notice this for she said, "Let's get some sleep. We'll need to get up early to check on Sam."

Frodo nodded and stood quickly, forgetting about his injured muscles. He gave a small cry of pain and sat back down again.

"Why don't you just sleep here for tonight," said Lorenthia, making room, "The bed's big enough, and you're too weak to make it back to your room."

Frodo blushed a deep red, but knew she was right. His tired, aching muscles would never make it. Trembling, he slid under the lily petal blankets next to her.

Lorenthia reached out and brushed a curl out of his eyes, letting her fingertips stay on his face a little longer than necessary. "Now, get some sleep," she murmured.

Chapter 5: Sam

The next morning, Frodo opened his eyes to sunlight streaming through the
window. The first thing he saw was Lorenthia's lovely face. She was
sleeping peacefully, her head on the pillow next to his. As he watched her,
she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"Good morning," she said softly, sitting up and stretching her still aching
muscles.

"Morning," he replied, sitting up also. "Guess I'd better get back to my
room before-"

He was cut off by the door swinging open. Fern stood there, looking
indignant. "I thought I told you to stay put!" She placed her hands on
her hips and attempted a stern frown, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Oh, honestly Fern!" Said Lorenthia, smiling, "He's fine."

Fern surrendered her attempt at seriousness and grinned back. "Alright,
you win. I just thought that I'd tell you that the lead healer wants a
word with both of you in the Meeting Chamber as soon as possible."

"We'd better get up then," Lorenthia said, swinging her feet onto the floor
and standing. Frodo stood also smoothing his rumpled clothes.

"I've told the cook to have a light breakfast sent up here. You can eat
before your meeting. Here," said Fern, turning to Frodo and handing him a
set of clothing, "you'd better change into something a little more suitable.
Just go behind that screen to change."

Frodo went toward the dressing screen that was on the other side of the room.
Stepping behind it, he changed into the clothes Fern had given him. There was
a tunic made from white rose petals and pants made from red rose petals.
The petals were soft and smooth but definitely not delicate. No matter how
hard you pulled, they would just stretch to meet that length. They would not
break. Must have fairy magic in them, Frodo thought as he finished dressing.

While Frodo was changing, Fern and Lorenthia had begun to speak in their
own language. It was like nothing Frodo had ever heard before. He stood
behind the screen long after he was finished dressing, just listening. It was
the most magical and beautiful sound that had ever met his ears. He tried to
catch a phrase and hold it in his mind, but it slipped away from him, like water
running through his fingers.

One thing he was able to distinguish, however, were visual images. When each
fairy talked, a picture shot into his mind's eye. Every time Fern spoke, he saw
an emerald green forest with golden sunlight shining down through the trees
onto a patch of deep green ferns.

Lorenthia's picture was completely different. With her, he saw a stream,
running silvery in the moonlight. It emptied into a calm pool of water. The
surface reflected the deep blue of the night sky and the diamond brightness
of the stars. In the center of the pool, a pure white water lily was blooming
as the moon shone down on it.

It was so calming listening to them. He felt as though he could stand there
forever, but at last, he knew he had listened enough. He stepped from behind
the screen, and Fern and Lorenthia ended their conversation. Fern ran over to
him and began making adjustments in the clothes with her magic so that it would
fit him properly.

A small servant girl brought up breakfast on a tray for them. It consisted of
tea and something Lorenthia called 'fairy cake.' The tea was wonderful and
strong. It reminded Frodo of violets and roses. There was simply no way to
describe the fairy cake. It was white and seemed to shine from inside with a
golden light. It was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.

At last, when they had eaten as much as they could hold, Lorenthia led him
through the beautiful passageways of the fairy kingdom. She stopped in front
of a large set of golden doors. Beckoning to Frodo, Lorenthia opened the door
and slipped inside. Frodo followed her and found himself in a large room with
a dome ceiling. The walls were made of white marble with gold trimming. In
the center of the room, a long table was lined with chairs.

At the head of the table sat a man that reminded Frodo strongly of Gandalf.
His white beard was long, and his face was kind. He wore a robe made of white
lotus leaves, and a small crown lay upon his head. The wings that fell from his
back were sparkling white.

Lorenthia dropped a small curtsey before speaking, "Honored Healer
Grindwith, may I present Mr. Frodo Baggins. He was one of the boys who went
over the cliff. The other boy, I believe, is in your care?"

"Yes," the man said in a wise voice, "That is what I wanted to see you about.
Please be seated." Frodo and Lorenthia sat in two chairs near him.

"Please, sir." Frodo tried to keep his voice steady, "Can you tell me if Sam
is alright?"

"The boy, Sam," Grindwith began, "is in critical condition. He was dead
when we found him. I have managed to bring him back to life, but he is still
very weak. I'm afraid he'll need about a month to fully heal."

"But he will be alright won't he?" Frodo felt panic wash over him, "If he
rests here for a month, then he'll be fine, right?"

"Correct," said Grindwith, leaning back in his chair. "He is back to good
health and there's no danger of anything happening to him. He just needs to
regain his strength. In the mean time, you may visit him whenever you wish.
He's been moved to the room right across from yours so that Fern can look
after him."

"May I go see him now?"

Grindwith nodded and Frodo practically leapt from his seat. He walked as
quickly as his injured muscles would allow him, through the marbled
passageways of the fairy kingdom.

He reached the hall that his room was in and quickly noticed that there was
a door on the opposite side of the hall from his, directly in front of his door.
He could have sworn that it hadn't been there last night.

He rapped softy on the door before turning the crystal handle and stepping
inside. Sam was asleep on what looked (and smelled) like buttercup petals.
He heard the door open and opened his eyes. When he saw Frodo, his face
split into a huge smile.

"Frodo!" He said, his voice weak, but clear, "It's good to see you." He
tried to sit up, but a little choking noise fell from his lips and he lay back
on the bed, his face scrunched up in pain.

"Sam!" Frodo rushed over to him in alarm, "Are you alright?"

After a moment, Sam opened his eyes, "Yeah, I just can't move too much
yet."

"Grindwith says that you'll regain your strength in about a month. So,
looks like we'll be here for awhile."

"You can't afford to be here a month!" Said Sam worriedly, "Maybe you
should go on without me."

"No, I'm staying here till you recover Sam." Frodo told him, decidedly.

"But you have to take care of the ring!" Sam protested, "Besides, you
won't be alone anymore, will you? You'll have Lorenthia to look after you.
She's a better fighter than me anyway."

"Sam," said Frodo, looking his friend strait in the eye, "you've been with
me since the beginning. You've risked your life for me, and you've stayed
loyal when others haven't. I wouldn't dream of going one step further
without you."

"Thanks, Mister Frodo," said Sam.

They talked for about an hour more before Fern came in and ordered
Frodo out, telling him that Sam needed to rest. Frodo walked back to his
own room and flopped on the bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about
all that had happened since his journey had begun.

Sometime after lunch, Frodo heard a soft tapping at his door. He sat up
quickly and called, "Come in!"

The door opened and Lorenthia stepped in, wearing a light summer dress
made of pale pink rose petals. Her long hair hung loose in golden waves
that reached just below her hips. Frodo realized that this was the first
time he had seen her in a dress. A blush crept to his cheeks as he caught
himself thinking about how pretty she looked.

"Thought you might like some company," she said, sitting down beside him.
"What have you been doing in here, all alone."

"Thinking," he answered simply.

"About what?" She asked, leaning back on her elbows.

"Nothing," he murmured.

"Liar."

"Well," he sighed, laying back on the bed, "I was just thinking about
\everything that's happened since the ring came to me. So much has
happened in such a short period of time. I miss my life back a the Shire
so much! I know it really hasn't been that long since I was last there, but
it feels like an eternity has gone by. Here lately, I just can't seem to get
that place out of my mind."

They lay there in silence for a few minutes, before Lorenthia sat up, her
eyes sparkling happily. "I have an idea of how to take your mind off all
that."

"What?" He asked looking up at her.

"There's a festival tonight in the village. You will come won't you?"

"Of course." He answered.

"Good!" She smiled. Frodo couldn't help but smile back. He loved the way
she smiled. Her whole face seemed to light up. They locked eyes for a
split second, and Frodo felt a great happiness swell in his chest. He
wondered where these feelings had come from. He had never felt anything
like this before. "See you tonight then!" She said, leaving a very confused
Frodo to try and sort out his new feelings.

Chapter Six: The Festival

That evening, Frodo walked through the halls of the Fairy Kingdom down to the main gait where Lorenthia and Fern would be waiting. He tugged nervously on his festival clothes (yellow and red rose petals). He had no idea what a fairy festival would be like, and he wasn't quite sure what to expect.

As he entered the courtyard, he found the place packed with fairies dressed in all sorts of flower clothes. The sun had already set and twinkling diamond stars could be seen overhead. Several tiger lilies had been magicked to glow a shimmering light to light up the whole courtyard. There were all sorts of tables and tents set up filled with food and other interesting objects. In the center, a dance floor was cleared and several fairies were swaying to music that seemed to be emitting from a clump of shimmering flowers nearby. A closer examination revealed that the flowers were singing. He stood for a moment in awe, taking it all in, before a sweet voice from behind him brought him back to his senses.

"There you are, Frodo!" He turned to see Lorenthia smiling at him. She was wearing a gown of pale white lilies. Her hair was swept back into a long golden braid that ran down her back. She was wearing a crown of miniature pink rose buds, with a small lily in the center of her forehead. Frodo opened his mouth to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat.

"Well, are you going to stand there all night and gape, or are we going to have some fun?" Frodo tore his eyes from Lorenthia to see Fern standing there in a purple dress with green fern trimming, looking annoyed.

"Right," Frodo swallowed hard and flushed in embarrassment, "let's go."

"Come on, let's go get something to eat." Lorenthia extended her hand to him. He took it, flushing even redder than before.

They ate more fairy cake and drank water so clean and pure it left you wondering why you'd ever drank anything else. Frodo, however, found it very hard to concentrate on the food, owing to the fact that Lorenthia still had hold of his hand.

They looked at all the booths. Fern, who seemed to be somewhat of a know- it-all, delighted in showing Frodo all the fairy items that surrounded him. They made their way through the whole festival, and soon they had reached the dance floor. Fern found a partner immediately and went swooping off, her feet moving in perfect time to the music.

That left Frodo and Lorenthia, standing at the edge of the dance floor, feeling awkward. They stood there shyly for a few minutes, each secretly hoping the other would make the first move.

After a few moments of serious debate, Frodo turned to her and asked nervously, "I...I don't suppose you'd like to dance?"

Lorenthia's face split into a huge smile, "I'd love to," she responded.

She led him onto the dance floor and laced the fingers of one hand through his. The other hand she placed on his shoulder. Frodo placed his hand on her waist, sending chills of excitement down his spine. They swayed in time to the music.

After that song had ended, a slower, more beautiful tune began to drift its way across the dance floor. Some of the fairy couples were flitting their wings so that their feet hovered just above the floor. It looked like they were dancing on air. Frodo found himself privately wishing that he had wings, so that he and Lorenthia could dance that way.

Lorenthia saw him looking at the other fairies and seemed to read his mind. "Here," she said, taking his hands, "I'm going to try something." She placed both his arms around her waist and wrapped her arms around him so that they were in a tight embrace. Frodo felt air rush past his hands as Lorenthia fluttered her wings a few times. He felt his feet lift a few inches above the ground.

"There." Lorenthia smiled, looking quite pleased with herself. Frodo smiled back at her as his heart pounded wildly in his chest. In order for him to stay afloat, he had to hold tightly on to Lorenthia, something that was causing his emotions to go all strange on him again. He didn't care though. He felt happier than he had ever felt in his life, even at the Shire he hadn't been this happy. It was as though they were the only two people in the world.

"It was so incredible, Sam! You should have been there." Frodo sat on the edge of Sam's bed the next morning, filling him in on what he had missed at the festival the previous evening. "The flowers were actually singing! It was the most beautiful music I've ever heard, and the food there was wonderful! Every one was all dressed up and there was dancing..."

"Were there any pretty girls there?" Sam asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"I didn't really notice," said Frodo after some consideration, "I suppose there were. I haven't met a fairy yet that wasn't pretty. They all seem to be that way."

"Who did you think was the prettiest?"

"I. . ." Frodo's cheeks flushed a dull red, "Oh, I don't know."

"You do too know," said Sam, looking at Frodo, "I can see it in your eyes!" When Frodo didn't say anything, he changed the subject, "Well, did you dance with anyone?"

This question only seemed to embarrass Frodo even more. "Just Lorenthia," he sputtered out eventually, looking down at his lap.

Sam studied his friend for a moment. He had known Frodo for quite some time, and he had never seen him act this way over a girl before. "Do you like her?"

"Yes. . .No! Well, she's a very nice girl. . .Oh, Sam, I don't know. I'm so confused!" Frodo put his head in his hands and sat there thinking. Sam sat beside him, not saying anything. After awhile, Frodo said hesitantly to his friend, "Sam, have you ever been in love before?"

Sam sighed and rested his chin on his hand. He looked out the window, but his eyes didn't seem to see the brightly colored blossoms that swayed outside. He seemed to be looking back in time. "I was once." He said slowly, "Well, I am still, I suppose, with a girl at the Shire." He laughed softly, "You know, it's funny. There's not a day that goes by, that I don't think of her. Even though I know that she's probably forgotten about me by now. She's probably found some other hobbit to make her happy. Maybe she's even married." Sam trailed off and just stared blankly out the window.

Frodo reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sam. It's all my fault. If it hadn't been for me and this stupid ring then-"

"No," Sam cut him off and turned to face him, "it's not your fault at all. Everything that happens, happens for a reason. Perhaps it was never meant to be, but it was nice while it lasted."

"What was it like?" Frodo asked, anxiously.

"Being in love?" Sam smiled and closed his eyes, remembering, "It's the most wonderful feeling in the world. You feel so happy, like you could fly, and you want to be with that person constantly. You want to hold her, protect her from any harm." Sam opened his eyes, "Is that how you feel around Lorenthia?"

Frodo nodded ruefully, "Exactly, but I only just met her a few days ago. How is it possible to care for someone so much that you've only just met?"

"It's possible," said Sam. "Love works in tricky ways. Besides, haven't you ever heard of 'love at first sight'?"

"I suppose so," sighed Frodo, "I just feel so comfortable around her, like I could tell her anything, and she seems to always understand how I feel and what I'm thinking."

Sam nodded, understanding. "Well, the only advice I can give you, is to talk to her and spend as much time with her as you can. Get to know her a little better, and then...just see what happens."

"Thanks, Sam," said Frodo, standing up. "I'll do just that."
"Yes, well you'd better come back and tell me all about it or I'll personally thrash you as soon as Fern lets me out of bed," said Sam, grinning up at his friend.

Chapter 7: Lakeside Memories

Frodo walked through the halls of the Fairy Kingdom, thinking. He wanted to follow Sam's advice, but he wasn't sure exactly how to go about it. He continued walking, not really wanting to go anywhere, just wanting to walk and think.

It was always summer in the Fairy Kingdom, so there were no glass in the windows, just a curtain that you could pull closed for privacy. The halls were open, with no walls on the sides, just railings so that you wouldn't stumble and fall out. The only exception to this was the halls were the bedrooms were kept. They had firm solid walls.

Frodo was walking through one of the open halls and running his hand idly along the railing as he went. He reached a place where the railing ended and there were steps that lead down into a sort of miniature courtyard. It was made entirely out of stone. In the center, a large marble pool shimmered with clear water, and pink and white water lilies floated lazily about.

Frodo's heart stopped for a moment when he saw Lorenthia sitting at the edge of the pool. She had her skirts drawn up to her knees and her legs were dangling in the water. She had a very dreamy expression on her face that made Frodo's heart instantly swell with love.

He stood there, nervously contemplating. Did he dare approach her? He thought about his conversation with Sam and decided that he did dare. He walked down the stairs and toward the pool.

Lorenthia looked up and smiled when she saw him coming. "Good morning, Frodo." She patted the ground next to her, and he sat down Indian-style. "How is Sam?"

"He's getting better, although he's still very weak."

Lorenthia nodded, "That's not surprising. Grindwith said it'd take a month, and you've only been here three days." She paused a moment and looked out over the water lilies. "You were in there an awfully long time this morning. I had to practically restrain Fern from barging in throwing you out." Frodo laughed at the mental image that statement created. "What were you two talking about in there?"

"Oh, j-just stuff," Frodo stammered, blushing.

Lorenthia noticed his embarrassment and (to his relief) decided to change the subject. "Do you want to go for a walk? You really haven't seen much of the Fairy Kingdom and it'd be fun to show you around."

"Sure," said Frodo, happy at the prospect of spending time with her.

Lorenthia went up to her room and changed into pants and a shirt. Fern packed them a lunch to take in case they got hungry. They set off, and Lorenthia led him through the city gates and into the rural part of the kingdom. Soon, they were walking down a dirt road with fields of wild flowers on either side.

"I don't understand," said Frodo, "I thought we were shrunk. So why does everything seem normal size?"

"Because we are still inside the Fairy Kingdom." Lorenthia replied, "Everything inside the boarders is shrunk down. Look over there." Lorenthia pointed off into the distance. Even though it was a clear day, there seemed to be a wall of white mist. "That's the boarder. Outside of that, everything is normal sized."

They walked in silence for awhile, just happy of the other's company. Frodo surveyed the countryside happily. It was one of the most beautiful places he had ever been in, in his entire life.

They came to a grove of cool shady trees. Lorenthia pulled him over to sit under a blossoming cherry tree that sat beside a crystal clear stream. The cherry blossoms fell through the air, creating a soft cushion beneath them, covering their clothes and hair, and filling the air with the light, beautiful scent of cherries.

"By the time we're ready to leave here," Lorenthia said, "the cherries will be ripe, and we'll be able to take a bunch of them with us. Wait till you taste them, they're the sweetest cherries you'll ever taste."

Frodo looked up at the falling flowers, lost in memory. "I remember, back in the Shire, there was a little tree like this beside the river. When I'd first come to the Shire and Bilbo had announced that I'd be his heir, some people weren't too friendly to me. Others, were sort of scared of me and were much too polite. I felt as though I didn't have a friend in the world. So, I gave up on making friends, and I'd spent my time sitting under that tree every day and reading. Everyonce in awhile, a rather large boy with messy blond hair would come and sit under a tree near me and fish in the river. He seemed friendly enough, and one day, when he was fishing, he slipped and fell into the river. The current was quite strong that day, and he could swim. I reached and pulled him out. After that, when he'd come to the river, he'd sit near me and we'd talk. That was how I first met Sam. He was my first real friend."

Lorenthia smiled, "I know. I remember that."

Frodo looked over at her, thoughtful. "You know so much about me. You seem to understand everything I do and what I'm thinking. I just wish I understood you half as well."

"Like I said Frodo," Lorenthia said, reaching over to smooth some of the light pink petals from his curly dark hair, "you can ask me anything in the world. It's only fair that you know more about me when I know so much about you. Now's the perfect time since we have no interruptions. Ask away."

"Well," Frodo paused to think, "you said that you're half hobbit and half fairy. I know what you are but I don't know anything about your parents and where you come from."

Lorenthia looked down at her lap, sadness seeping into her lovely blue eyes. "My parents. . ." she trailed off and swallowed hard, "They're dead."

Frodo felt a wave of sadness wash over him as he saw the pain that crept into her eyes. He reached out and put and hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry." He said, "I shouldn't have asked that. We can change the subject if you want."

"No," Lorenthia said, reaching up and taking his hand in her own, "I want to tell you about this. Back in my mother and father's day, the Fairy Kingdom had very little contact with the outside world. The council decided that they should try to learn about other cultures and creatures in order to better understand them and live peacefully with them.

"So, they picked a team of volunteers to go out and learn about different cultures. My father volunteered to go and live in a village of hobbits for awhile. That's how he met my mother. They fell in love, were married, and had me. While most of the other hobbits in the village found it slightly strange that my mother would marry outside her race, they didn't object to the paring.

"Only, there was one hobbit in the village who was furious when my mother married. He didn't act like most hobbits. He had a quick temper and a depressing personality. Some say he had a little troll blood in him, and that was the reason why he acted to brutally.

"Anyway, he had been secretly in love with my mother, and when she married he became angry, violently angry. He went over to the house one night and challenged my father to a fight. They fought with swords. Somehow, the man managed to knock my father's sword out of his reach, and he was about to kill him, when my mother jumped in the way. He stabbed her instead. When this occurred, the man became frightened and ran away.

"My father had been greatly wounded in the battle. He was dying, and he knew it. He somehow managed to contact his friends in the Fairy Kingdom before he dyed. They came and got me, and brought me here."

Lorenthia let out a shaky sigh, a few tears slipping down her cheeks. "Even though I was so little when it happened, sometimes in the night, I can still hear my mother's scream that she gave right before she died."

Frodo sat there, silently gripping her hand. Seeing her so sad made his heart feel as though it had shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces. For the first time since he had met her, she looked vulnerable. He wanted to do something, anything to protect her from the sadness she was feeling.

He slowly, and very hesitantly, reached out and gathered her up in his arms, pulling her into his lap and wrapping his arms tightly around her. Lorenthia wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself tightly against him, and buried her face in his chest.

"Shhh," Frodo whispered, "It's all right." He brought an unsure hand up and began to stroke her hair, running his fingers through it and whispering any comfort he could think of.

Even though Frodo's heart felt broken with sadness, he couldn't help but feel a little bit of joy swell in his chest at the feel of having her in his arms. He bent his head down and buried his face in her hair. He inhaled deeply, taking in her scent. She smelled of water lilies and rose petals.

After a few minutes, Lorenthia pulled from his grasp slightly, though not enough that she moved out of his lap. "I'm sorry," she said, "Now I've gotten your shirt all wet."

"No, I'm sorry." Frodo said, lovingly running a hand down her cheek, "I shouldn't have made you relive all that."

Lorenthia took both of his hands in hers. "Well, I guess we have something in common. We're both orphans."
She turned so that she was still in his lap, but was now facing the same way he was. She leaned against him so that her back was against his chest, and she rested her head on his shoulder. He leaned his cheek against the top of her head and wrapped his arms tightly around her. They sat in silence like that for a long while. Until the sun was setting over the misty horizon, and they headed back to the city.