Estel's Shire Friend, 4/4
All right. Here is the end to "Estel's Shire Friend," a non-slash, pre-quest AU about Frodo and Aragorn meeting when Frodo is young. In this one, Halbarad shows up. I don't quite know what my fascination with Halbarad is lately :-).
Title: Estel’s Shire Friend 4/4
Author: Claudia
Rating: PG to possibly PG13
Summary: Frodo and Aragorn (Estel) meet and become unlikely friends. Pre-LOTR. Um…probably AU.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters and make no money from them.
Story Notes: No slash, sexual situations, or profanity.
Estel’s Shire Friend 4
When Frodo woke, he could not move. The first movement caused wretched pain to shoot through his muscles, and he cried out. Immediately everything came back to him - the Ranger! Frodo forced himself out of bed. He had never changed out of his filthy clothes, and he smoothed his blood-stained shirt. Sunlight streamed painfully into his eyes. He stretched his muscles, hoping they would loosen. He had breakfast to fix for the incapacitated Ranger, but first he needed to make certain he was all right. He had a blurred and sickening memory of all that blood.
Frodo limped into the room where the Ranger slept and he was surprised and relieved to find him awake and tending to his own wounds.
“You should have called for me!” Frodo said. “Here…allow me to help.”
“You’re quite a sight, Frodo,” the Ranger said. “Why don’t you take a bath and change - I am fine.”
“But breakfast!”
“Unlike you, I can wait.”
Frodo grinned. “I’m so very glad you’re feeling better, Estel. I shall put tea on at least.”
A banging on the door startled both of them. The knock was much too hard for Fatty -- or any other hobbit. Frodo froze, breathing quickly. He had a vision of a band of Rangers showing up and accusing him of kidnapping Estel. He had a vision of the ruffians from the wood coming for their final revenge. He looked around for a weapon, but there were none other than Estel’s, which lay on the bed beside him. Did he dare take one before answering the door? He grabbed instead the poker beside the hearth.
“Will you not answer?” Estel asked, puzzled by Frodo’s fear.
Frodo tried to keep his voice from shaking. “Do you think more men from the forest have found us? That is no hobbit at the door.”
Strider smiled, but he did not look worried at all. “Go peer out first. If you do not recognize the stranger, come to me. I can still fight if I need to.”
Frodo felt ridiculous. After all, he was in the Shire. He blushed hotly at the idea that Estel would no longer think him brave. Estel had been so proud of him for fighting the men in the woods, which had sent him to a giddy high, but now, to look ridiculously frightened of a caller at the door was humiliating.
“I do not think that will be necessary,” Frodo said and trotted to the front door.
Frodo opened the door just a crack. The caller was a Big Person, but he was dressed and cloaked as Aragorn. Indeed, one of the Rangers. When the Man turned at the sound of the door opening, Frodo recognized him as being one of the men from the Ranger’s lodge, and he quickly slammed shut the door, leaning against it, taking in big, gulping breaths. His first fear had come true. The men at the lodge knew that Estel had accompanied Frodo back to the Shire. And now Estel had not returned and was in fact wounded, and the blame would come fully on Frodo. Formir would not be so kind this time.
“Halfling, I need you to open the door,” the Ranger said.
“What do you want?” Frodo asked, and his voice broke.
“Frodo?” Estel called from the other room. “Are you all right?”
The Ranger outside spoke in a more gentle voice. “I am looking for my friend, who accompanied you home last night. Is he here?”
“Yes.” Frodo said. His brow broke into sweat. He wondered what would happen if he was imprisoned by these Rangers, whether they had actual jail cells and how their laws worked.
“Please let me in.”
Frodo opened the door, stepping back, fully resigned to whatever fate was in store for him. The Ranger barely glanced at him as he ducked through the low foyer and called out, “Estel?”
“Back here,” Estel said. “Halbarad!” He spoke the name with obvious joy, and Frodo let out a weak sigh. Perhaps Estel would not allow Halbarad to take Frodo away to be imprisoned. Frodo followed Halbarad back to the room where Estel lay in bed.
“What has happened?” Halbarad asked when he caught sight of Estel’s wounds. He shot Frodo a dark look of accusation.
“Aye, it is a long story.”
“Is this halfling here keeping you prisoner?” It was obvious that Halbarad jested, yet he did not smile. Frodo laughed a little, to relief the ache of fear in his chest.
Estel smiled gently at Frodo. “Yes, but with good intention. He saved my life on two counts yesterday.”
“Nonsense,” Frodo said, blushing.
Halbarad looked at Frodo with new interest. “So you were captured by our men on the border, reprimanded for trespassing-“
“Formir was quite stern,” Strider said with a grin, and Frodo managed a smile. He felt better already.
“Aye,” Halbarad shook his head. “He can be. I lived in fear of him when I was a lad.”
Frodo laughed a little. “I do not feel so bad then.” Frodo watched the two men. “May I get you something, perhaps some tea and eggs?”
“I insist that you take care of yourself first,” Strider said, becoming serious. “Note how he limps today. He supported my full weight yesterday when I was so badly wounded.”
“It is all a blur to me now, I am afraid,” Frodo said with a smile.
“Take a bath, take off those blood-stained clothes or you will frighten any hobbits that come to call.”
“No hobbits will come here, not even Fatty. He is frightened of Men. I do not think he will be back himself until he thinks you are gone. I will put on tea before I step into the bath. Perhaps your friend here will take care of the rest? I must apologize, however. The kitchen ceiling is very low and you may have to drop to your knees to feel comfortable working at the counter.”
Halbarad laughed. “Fear not. I have faced worse hardships.” He laughed again, looking at Estel spread out on two hobbit beds. “This is quite a sight, my friend.”
Frodo limped out of the room. As he closed the door behind him, he heard Strider say in a soft voice, “He is remarkable, Halbarad. I never would have thought the Shirefolk so brave.”
“It is good then that we fight so diligently to protect their borders.”
Frodo left with a puzzled frown, but it was soon forgotten as he filled the generous bathtub with heated water. He discarded his clothing in a filthy pile and climbed into the bath. Taking a scrub brush, he washed the grime from his body. He lay back, humming a bit. He could not wait to tell Bilbo about this. Bilbo would be so proud of all he had done. He did not need to talk about how he had been stealing mushrooms. Bilbo would not approve of that. But at least he could tell how he had saved a Ranger’s life.
Once clean and dressed in fresh clothes, Frodo limped into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for himself and the two men. Big People were, well, big, and Frodo could not imagine how much they would have to eat to maintain their size. If a hobbit easily ate four eggs for breakfast, then a man might have at least 10 each! Luckily, Fatty, who had the healthiest of hobbit appetites, had kept the kitchen well stocked, and Frodo easily counted out two dozen eggs.
“And pound cakes,” Frodo mused. “A hobbit will have at least one, but a man. My gracious! Perhaps pound cakes are not an option, as I would have to make four more! We’ll stick with bread. There are some fresh loaves here and I can make some sizzling bacon to make up for it.”
“Do you need help?”
Frodo jumped, and when he saw it was Halbarad, he laughed a little.
“I am sorry to startle you.”
“It is all right. I am very sorry if I do not have enough food to serve such great men,” Frodo said, barely able to hold the tray. Halbarad looked stunned, and Frodo feared he was angry. Or disappointed. He swallowed. “But I could go to the market. It is only that you would have to wait a fair amount of time. It is quite a walk.”
Then Halbarad started to laugh. “You are serious,” he said. “Frodo…all that food.”
Frodo looked at him, puzzled.
“Come, little one. Let us bring some to poor Estel. If he can endure such shock.”
Halbarad took the heavy tray from Frodo and they came together into the room where Estel rested.
“I hope it is enough,” Frodo said. “I am sure Fatty did not anticipate the coming of Big Folk to his kitchen.”
“Frodo, this looks wonderful,” Estel said. “But it is enough to feed an army of men.”
Frodo felt puzzled, but he thought it best to stay silent. Men jested about the oddest things and sometimes it was better not to respond.
Then again, it was refreshing to have a friend that he did not always know what he was thinking.
END
Title: Estel’s Shire Friend 4/4
Author: Claudia
Rating: PG to possibly PG13
Summary: Frodo and Aragorn (Estel) meet and become unlikely friends. Pre-LOTR. Um…probably AU.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters and make no money from them.
Story Notes: No slash, sexual situations, or profanity.
Estel’s Shire Friend 4
When Frodo woke, he could not move. The first movement caused wretched pain to shoot through his muscles, and he cried out. Immediately everything came back to him - the Ranger! Frodo forced himself out of bed. He had never changed out of his filthy clothes, and he smoothed his blood-stained shirt. Sunlight streamed painfully into his eyes. He stretched his muscles, hoping they would loosen. He had breakfast to fix for the incapacitated Ranger, but first he needed to make certain he was all right. He had a blurred and sickening memory of all that blood.
Frodo limped into the room where the Ranger slept and he was surprised and relieved to find him awake and tending to his own wounds.
“You should have called for me!” Frodo said. “Here…allow me to help.”
“You’re quite a sight, Frodo,” the Ranger said. “Why don’t you take a bath and change - I am fine.”
“But breakfast!”
“Unlike you, I can wait.”
Frodo grinned. “I’m so very glad you’re feeling better, Estel. I shall put tea on at least.”
A banging on the door startled both of them. The knock was much too hard for Fatty -- or any other hobbit. Frodo froze, breathing quickly. He had a vision of a band of Rangers showing up and accusing him of kidnapping Estel. He had a vision of the ruffians from the wood coming for their final revenge. He looked around for a weapon, but there were none other than Estel’s, which lay on the bed beside him. Did he dare take one before answering the door? He grabbed instead the poker beside the hearth.
“Will you not answer?” Estel asked, puzzled by Frodo’s fear.
Frodo tried to keep his voice from shaking. “Do you think more men from the forest have found us? That is no hobbit at the door.”
Strider smiled, but he did not look worried at all. “Go peer out first. If you do not recognize the stranger, come to me. I can still fight if I need to.”
Frodo felt ridiculous. After all, he was in the Shire. He blushed hotly at the idea that Estel would no longer think him brave. Estel had been so proud of him for fighting the men in the woods, which had sent him to a giddy high, but now, to look ridiculously frightened of a caller at the door was humiliating.
“I do not think that will be necessary,” Frodo said and trotted to the front door.
Frodo opened the door just a crack. The caller was a Big Person, but he was dressed and cloaked as Aragorn. Indeed, one of the Rangers. When the Man turned at the sound of the door opening, Frodo recognized him as being one of the men from the Ranger’s lodge, and he quickly slammed shut the door, leaning against it, taking in big, gulping breaths. His first fear had come true. The men at the lodge knew that Estel had accompanied Frodo back to the Shire. And now Estel had not returned and was in fact wounded, and the blame would come fully on Frodo. Formir would not be so kind this time.
“Halfling, I need you to open the door,” the Ranger said.
“What do you want?” Frodo asked, and his voice broke.
“Frodo?” Estel called from the other room. “Are you all right?”
The Ranger outside spoke in a more gentle voice. “I am looking for my friend, who accompanied you home last night. Is he here?”
“Yes.” Frodo said. His brow broke into sweat. He wondered what would happen if he was imprisoned by these Rangers, whether they had actual jail cells and how their laws worked.
“Please let me in.”
Frodo opened the door, stepping back, fully resigned to whatever fate was in store for him. The Ranger barely glanced at him as he ducked through the low foyer and called out, “Estel?”
“Back here,” Estel said. “Halbarad!” He spoke the name with obvious joy, and Frodo let out a weak sigh. Perhaps Estel would not allow Halbarad to take Frodo away to be imprisoned. Frodo followed Halbarad back to the room where Estel lay in bed.
“What has happened?” Halbarad asked when he caught sight of Estel’s wounds. He shot Frodo a dark look of accusation.
“Aye, it is a long story.”
“Is this halfling here keeping you prisoner?” It was obvious that Halbarad jested, yet he did not smile. Frodo laughed a little, to relief the ache of fear in his chest.
Estel smiled gently at Frodo. “Yes, but with good intention. He saved my life on two counts yesterday.”
“Nonsense,” Frodo said, blushing.
Halbarad looked at Frodo with new interest. “So you were captured by our men on the border, reprimanded for trespassing-“
“Formir was quite stern,” Strider said with a grin, and Frodo managed a smile. He felt better already.
“Aye,” Halbarad shook his head. “He can be. I lived in fear of him when I was a lad.”
Frodo laughed a little. “I do not feel so bad then.” Frodo watched the two men. “May I get you something, perhaps some tea and eggs?”
“I insist that you take care of yourself first,” Strider said, becoming serious. “Note how he limps today. He supported my full weight yesterday when I was so badly wounded.”
“It is all a blur to me now, I am afraid,” Frodo said with a smile.
“Take a bath, take off those blood-stained clothes or you will frighten any hobbits that come to call.”
“No hobbits will come here, not even Fatty. He is frightened of Men. I do not think he will be back himself until he thinks you are gone. I will put on tea before I step into the bath. Perhaps your friend here will take care of the rest? I must apologize, however. The kitchen ceiling is very low and you may have to drop to your knees to feel comfortable working at the counter.”
Halbarad laughed. “Fear not. I have faced worse hardships.” He laughed again, looking at Estel spread out on two hobbit beds. “This is quite a sight, my friend.”
Frodo limped out of the room. As he closed the door behind him, he heard Strider say in a soft voice, “He is remarkable, Halbarad. I never would have thought the Shirefolk so brave.”
“It is good then that we fight so diligently to protect their borders.”
Frodo left with a puzzled frown, but it was soon forgotten as he filled the generous bathtub with heated water. He discarded his clothing in a filthy pile and climbed into the bath. Taking a scrub brush, he washed the grime from his body. He lay back, humming a bit. He could not wait to tell Bilbo about this. Bilbo would be so proud of all he had done. He did not need to talk about how he had been stealing mushrooms. Bilbo would not approve of that. But at least he could tell how he had saved a Ranger’s life.
Once clean and dressed in fresh clothes, Frodo limped into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for himself and the two men. Big People were, well, big, and Frodo could not imagine how much they would have to eat to maintain their size. If a hobbit easily ate four eggs for breakfast, then a man might have at least 10 each! Luckily, Fatty, who had the healthiest of hobbit appetites, had kept the kitchen well stocked, and Frodo easily counted out two dozen eggs.
“And pound cakes,” Frodo mused. “A hobbit will have at least one, but a man. My gracious! Perhaps pound cakes are not an option, as I would have to make four more! We’ll stick with bread. There are some fresh loaves here and I can make some sizzling bacon to make up for it.”
“Do you need help?”
Frodo jumped, and when he saw it was Halbarad, he laughed a little.
“I am sorry to startle you.”
“It is all right. I am very sorry if I do not have enough food to serve such great men,” Frodo said, barely able to hold the tray. Halbarad looked stunned, and Frodo feared he was angry. Or disappointed. He swallowed. “But I could go to the market. It is only that you would have to wait a fair amount of time. It is quite a walk.”
Then Halbarad started to laugh. “You are serious,” he said. “Frodo…all that food.”
Frodo looked at him, puzzled.
“Come, little one. Let us bring some to poor Estel. If he can endure such shock.”
Halbarad took the heavy tray from Frodo and they came together into the room where Estel rested.
“I hope it is enough,” Frodo said. “I am sure Fatty did not anticipate the coming of Big Folk to his kitchen.”
“Frodo, this looks wonderful,” Estel said. “But it is enough to feed an army of men.”
Frodo felt puzzled, but he thought it best to stay silent. Men jested about the oddest things and sometimes it was better not to respond.
Then again, it was refreshing to have a friend that he did not always know what he was thinking.
END