10. Chapter 10 The Ball (1/2)

chapter 10 " the ball"

"sam hurry! we're going to be late," rosie shouted from the bedroom where

she was fixing flowers in her golden hair. sam rushed in looking very

overloaded. "everything's squared away, my gaffer'll look after the kids so we

can slip off to pippin's wed-," he paused as his gaze fell on her. she was

so lovely. she was dressed in a beautiful dark red dress with tiny black

roses sown onto the hem. she had a lovely black lace shawl around her

shoulders that mimicked the lace patter of her skirt's hem. her skin seemed

to radiate a warm glow and her eyes glistened. "you're beautiful." he stammered. she smiled at him, walked over and

tried to smooth the wrinkles in his shirt. it had been a literal fight to

catch elanor and put her into the hands of her grandfather. "you're doing well yourself," she said and kissed him. she meant it

as a little kiss but sam took to it and wouldn't let go. he wrapped his

arms around her. of course it was just now that frodo turned the corner in

the hall and walked into their room. he had his mouth open ready to ask one

of them a question but found he had no air to expel. sam and rosie jumped

apart and frodo looked at them not knowing what to do he found himself

saying "i'll come back.later," and walked back out of the room. it wasn't

that he hadn't seen them display physical affection before that bothered

him, it was that they seemed to think they had to hide it from him. like he

was some poor fool who didn't understand love and should be sheltered from

the mere hint of it. he walked into the main hall and straightened his vest. he looked

handsome you had to give him that. "what lass wouldn't want to accompany

me," he tried to say and found himself laughing. but the laughter turned

quickly to melancholy. he had recovered physically from his spell three

weeks ago, mainly because the ailment wasn't physical. it took only a day

or too till he could pull off his 'normal' self in front of sam and rosie.

he knew he wasn't all right and he'd never be all right. he cursed his

very existence. "mr. frodo!" his thoughts were interrupted and he put on

a pained smile. "right here," he said. sam rushed up to him. "are you ready to go?" "quite," frodo said reluctantly. "good," rosie said as she came up behind them. "shall we, my fine

gentle hobbits?" she laughed joyously and they walked out to the coach that

was to take them to the wedding. pippin- or really pearl (pippin's lucky

lady) had decided on a night wedding at the large estate of their dearest

friend merridoc

andybuck. she had chosen an evening wedding mostly

because it made the whole affair even more prestigious and formal. it was

practically going to be a ball. "remember driver, to stop at the

ook house before we get to

buckland," sam said. the driver acknowledged and told the ponies to pick up

their pace. frodo sighed noticeably. after thirty minutes the driver

ought the coach to a halt in front

of a small wealthy hobbit estate right outside of buckland. it was

constructed of charming red

icks with lavish fruit trees growing like

soldiers in solute. everyone thought it was the prettiest house built on

this side of the river, though they didn't say so. frodo thought it looked

menacing. "go on, frodo," sam said motioning toward the door. frodo looked up

at the large building wrapped in the night like rosie's shoulders were

shrouded in black lace. there were several lamps burning behind the closed

drapes. sam grew impatient and opened the door of the coach. frodo took the

hint and though he wasn't at all prepared stepped down from the coach and

walked slowly up the walk. he passed the numerous pear and peach trees at

attention, each whispering "go back," and he quickened the pace so as not

to loose his nerve (of which he really didn't have any to begin with). he

was almost at the door when suddenly out of the bush to his right a shadow

jumped at him and knocked him to the ground. frodo cried out and tried to

throw his attacker off of him but found he was weaker from his spell than

he knew. just then the moon came out from behind a cloud and illuminated

the face of jack sparrow. "jack?" frodo exclaimed. "you don't want to be doin' that, mate" "doing what?" frodo said. jack motioned with his head to the front

door of the

ook house. "there's a woman in there waiting to claim your life- i know- they

never put on that much perfume unless they they're making a stand." frodo

looked at him almost speechless. "you were in her dressing room weren't you?" frodo said with a look

of disgust. jack leaned back and allowed frodo to sit up. "i can't help you there, mate- didn't see a thing," he sounded

disappointed and added, "curtain." frodo's eyes couldn't get wider. "what are you doing here?" "just out for my evening stroll," he said standing up. frodo stood up

too. "a little far for a walk," he said

ushing himself off.

"i know, that's why i gave your driver the night off," he swayed a little

bit. frodo became angry.

"what do you want? if you've escaped- fine- go! but i've got to get this

over with." "that's exactly why i'm here!" jack exclaimed, waving his arms "i'm

here to rescue you." "rescue me? from lilly?" jack rolled his eyes- and then his head and

emulated the movement with his entire body in an extremely exaggerated

gesture. "no. i'm here to save you from what you're about to do." he said as

if frodo should've known what he was carrying on about. just then two

white-gloved hands reached out from under the same bush and pulled jack's

feet out from under him. he let out a gargled "whoa' and fell to the

ground. he didn't move. out of the bush emerged the prettiest hobbit frodo

had ever scene. she wore an emerald dress that accentuated her robust

figure. her black hair was piled up on top of her head like a cascade of

raven curls. her green eyes cast a stare that none could contend with. "that's for spying on me!" she said, giving jack a little kick.

frodo swallowed as she turned her piercing gaze on him. her face softened. "frodo! you look so-," she looked him up and down. "wonderful," she

then astonished an already astonished frodo by jerking him to her

east

and holding him extremely tightly. "it's so fortunate that we get to meet again, lily," frodo said

trying to get his proper greeting in from his place in between her

cleavage. she released him and looked into his eyes. 'fortunate is not the word," she said looking at him in a way that

made him most uncomfortable. suddenly frodo remembered jack and praised the

stars for the interruption. "what about him?" they looked down and suddenly found the pirate to

be missing. "great," frodo said. "don't bother about him," lilly said taking frodo's arm and leading

him back down the path (though he really wasn't aware of his feet even

moving- if anyone had asked him he would've said he had glided). "he's just another scoundrel, sam will take care of him, but tonight-

" she stopped walking and grabbed frodo and turned him toward her "i'm

going to take care of you." she kissed him-right on the lips- just like

that, and walked on ahead leaving frodo standing there like a dumbfounded

proudfoot. frodo regained himself just as he heard her call and raced to

the coach. she climbed in without waiting for frodo to open the door and

he scuttled in after her. no one even noticed the driver staggering back to

his place at the reins. jack smiled with satisfaction and gave a shout to

the ponies. they reached the

andy hall not a moment too soon. frodo was the

first to get out the coach and he grasped for the sacred

eath that seemed

to have abandoned him. he kept tugging at his shirt's collar like it was a

noose. she had held his hand the whole way. immediately upon exiting the

coach she latched on to his arm and gave him a look that made him blush.

frodo felt overwhelmed. to say he had been swept off his feet wouldn't do

his emotional status justice as he was literally being swept around by

lilly's long black lashes. they entered

andy hall to find it in an

uproar of men and hobbits. it glittered with lights and crystal and was

bedecked with ribbons of every color. hobbit butlers came running up to

great the guests and to take their coats. sam and frodo looked eagerly

around for a glimpse of pippin. "frodo? frodo?" they heard a voice shouting from within a crowd of