Frodo and Sam: A Love Story

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SMALL MERCIES

by Janet Elizabeth


The night was waning towards morning as Aragorn kept the last watch. He paced round the
perimeter of their camp watching for any sign of the Black Riders. They would be the only ones
to seek them out in the dismal swamps that came before Weathertop. So he was surprised to
hear a soft sound like a muffled scream. Summoning all his skill as a Ranger he crept silently
and quickly towards the source of the noise.


He stopped short of a small sheltered area not far from the main camp. Peering into the
moonless gloom he could just make out a dark cloak writhing on the ground. He drew his knife
from his belt and approached slowly, watching the drama. A hand emerged from beneath the
dark cloth and he could tell from it's size and shape that it belonged to Frodo. He heard the
muffled cries again, though up close they were much louder. It was obvious that a Black Rider
had snuck into camp, captured the poor hobbit and was now preparing to spirit him away or even
perhaps attempting to wrest the ring from him before slaying him. Cold rage settled over
Aragorn's heart and he raced quietly into the glade and tightly grasped the rider's cloak. With a
mighty heave he flung the rough black cloth away from the invisible enemy's form and then
stopped short in surprise.


Lying on the ground were a half clad Frodo and his servant and friend Samwise. Frodo's
breech's were pooled around his hairy feet and it was difficult to miss the hobbit's aroused
member. Nor was it difficult to miss Sam's hand grasped firmly around it. The pleasure on both
hobbits' faces was immediately replaced by fear, anger and shame. An inarticulate sound passed
over Sam's lips and Aragorn heard the audible swalloat cat came from Frodo. Embarressed for
them both he threw what he now knew to be one of their blankets back over them and stalked
towards the edge of the glade. There he stopped and facing away from the two friends he spoke.


"My apologies young Master Hobbits, but this time and place is not safe for such a tryst. You'd
best collect yourselves and return to the fireside at once. I'll keep watch as you do so." he said,
his voice rough with emotion.


He watched the surrounding swamps as he listened to the rustling of the dressing hobbits. Their
soft whispered argument was hard to miss.


"Mister Frodo, what are we to do. There ain't many who would understand us." came Sam's hot
and tearful words.


"Hush Sam. You go on back to the fire like Strider says and I'll be along in a minute. And don't
worry, I'm sure he's seen more than you or I could ever show him and knows more about the
world than we shall ever know. Don't fret my love, go back to camp and make up our beds near
the fire." soothed Frodo, with a kiss to Sam's forehead.


Aragorn heard Sam sigh as he stomped off past him without looking back. The big man sighed
himself as he studied the small tense back as it dwindled into the gloom. He listened, waiting
for Frodo to approach him. Eventually, with a quiet clearing of his throat, and a gentle tug at his
elbow, Aragorn turned to face the young ring bearer.


The stricken lookFrodFrodo's face was tempered by resolve and a courage that had only just
begun to grow. Aragorn watched as the slender hobbit straightened his shoulders and
approached him.


"I know that what you saw was not what you expected to see, but sometimes you take love
where you can find it and on this road I'm on, I will take what I am given. Let none judge me
nor mine who have not been on the road I'm on." said Frodo, his voice quavering over the
words.


Aragorn hung his head and then knelt to face the hobbit. Putting a gentle hand on his shoulder,
hoothoothed his curls back from his damp brow. He gave him a gentle smile before speaking.


"Never fear Frodo my friend. I do not judge what I do not know and if Sam gives you comfort it
is none of my affair, only your safety concerns me. The rest is up to you and yours." he said
kindly.


Frodo looked at him, his eyes wary but after a moment smiled back at the big man. He hung his
head for a moment then gazed evenly back at Aragorn again.


"It is not common among my folk to do such things, but as I said -" he began, but Aragorn
stopped him.


"Hush Frodo. No matter what is "common" among your people or no, there is no judgement
here and your secret is safe with me. I shall never tell any other of the bond you and Sam share.
It is obviously so important to you and beyond any friendship. Love, as you say, is found in
many places and should never be pushed aside despite if all the world should condemn it. Now
we will have no more discussion of this tonight or any other if you wish. Get back to camp and
get what sleep you can. This road is long and dark and we have many days of dangerous travel
ahead of us. You need your sleep as well as love." He cupped Frodo's cheek then and smiled at
him.

Then with a gentle pressure on his back, he pushed him in the direction that Sam had taken.
Reluctantly the hobbit followed Sam's trail, but looked back once at the tall Ranger standing
watch over him. He gave him a small wave, which Aragorn returned. Then the hobbit had gone,
disappeared between the reeds. The a shake of his head and a thoughtful look on his face, he
resumed his watch for the rest of the night.


*****


It was the next night and Sam sat nodding on his rock where he stood his watch. He had
volunteered to take the second last turn before Strider did the pre-dawn time. The sensible
hobbit had a plan, a way to secure his and his master's secret. A plan that would never reach the
ears of his beloved Frodo, least not so long as he lived. As he waited for Strider to rise and take
his turn, he thought back to last summer when he and Frodo had begun their secret affair.


It had started innocently enough, but had quickly become more than loving friendship and
servitude. Sam had fallen hopelessly in love with Frodo sometime last summer as the
consipiracy of friends had pressed him more and more for information. Their love had
blossomed suddenly, right around the time that Gandalf had discovered him lurking in the
hedgerow and spying out what he could for Pippin, Merry and Fatty.


After Gandalf had gone, he and Frodo had discussed their secret journey until the wee hours of
the morning. They had sat on cushions near the fire while it burned low in the grate and talked
of what they must do and where they must go. Sam had seen the fear in Frodo's eyes and the
gratitude for Sam's companionship on that unknown and uncertain road. Wanting to comfort his
master and friend, he had reached for his hand, not unlike many times before. He then felt the
strange sensation come over him, a jittery excited feeling that warmed his whole body. As Frodo
had wept and told Sam of his gladness that he was coming with him, Sam had felt a tightening of
his breeches. He began to tremble, sitting there with Frodo's soft slender fingered hand in his
own and his master's tears falling in rivers down his pale lovely face. Some impulse had driven
him to his next act, an act that had changed everything for the better and for the worse.


Sam had raised Frodo's bowed head and then leaned in to kiss him on the forehead. The kiss
didn't land where it was intended and as soft lips met Sam's tears had begun to flow. So there
they had sat in last glowing embers of the dying fire, tears streaming down their faces and
planting sweet, salty kiss after sweet, salty kiss on each other's mouths. Finally they had broken
away as dawn peeked in through the curtains. Looking into each other's eyes, a simple
understanding had begun between them. It was not something either looked for or asked for or
even wanted, but they could not deny what had been begun. It had only grown stronger and
more bold between them, and as things progressed so did Sam's flow of information dry up. He
not only had to keep his and Frodo's leaving the Shire a secret, he had to keep their growing love
a secret too. Not many would have understood or approved, especially his Gammer or the lovely
Rosie Cotton who he had taken a shine to. And so, his heart betraying him all the while, Sam
had told neither Frodo of the conspiracy of Pippin and Merry to come with them to Rivendell
and told no-one of the love that he and Frodo shared. In the end, he could only feel how lucky
he was to have such a special relationship in his life. He didn't care how things ended, so long
as he was with Frodo until then, and he would do anything to protect this unexpected thing.


Lost in his reverie, Sam didn't hear the approach of Aragorn until he was at his elbow. With a
soft touch on his arm, the Ranger startled the hobbit so that he fell off his perch and onto the soft
ground below. Reaching down, he helped the embarressed hobbit to his feet. He felt an odd
trembling in Sam's limbs as he helped brush off the swamp grass that littered his clothes. He
wondered at that as Sam gathered up his water bottle and blanket and faced him. The look on
Sam's face made him smile inside as he saw the hobbit screwing up his courage to speak "plain"
as he so often stated before he spoke. Aragorn was not disappointed in Sam's words.


"I'd like to speak plain if I may Mister Strider." said Sam, his words tumbling out in a rehearsed
rush. "What you saw last night was private, just 'tween me and Mister Frodo, if you get my
meaning. It't n't nuthin' you nor no-one else need to be bothered with and it won't hurt what we
got to do, takin' this heriloom of Mister Bilbo's to the elves none neither. And if you will keep
your peace about it I'd be grateful see and I aim to show my gratitude ahead of time, if you
please. I know a man on the road like you are don't have much time for fun or lovin', so I have
some skill I could share, unless you find that dirty and such. But just the same, I can give you
something you might be missin', so long as it buys your silence and you keep quite 'bout this
too."

Sam stood before Aragorn, not daring to look at him, but waiting for the Ranger to respond.
Moments passed and finally Sam dared to glance up the man. What he saw shocked him.
Aragorn's face was lit up with a smile so beautiful, that in Sam's mind the only thing to rival it
so far was the sight of his beloved master's face after they had loved one anotheAragAragorn
surprised him again by reaching out to cup his cheek gently in his big rough hand and stroking
his thumb from his temple and down the line of his jaw. Sam shivered at this touch and
wondered at his reaction. Only Mr. Frodo had ever brought out that response in him before and
he shied away from it. Then the Ranger leaned down, placing his other hand on the other cheek
and leaned close to the hobbit's face.


His breath was warm and fragrent with some herb he had been chewing and his eyes were dark
and kind. He smiled and then slowly pressed his lips to Sam's in a deeply passionate kiss that
rocked the inexperienced hobbit to his wooly toes. After what seemed an eternity to Sam,
Aragorn broke the kiss and gazed deeply into his eyes. Tears spilled over from the beneath the
hobbit's lashes and the big man kissed them all away. Then, when Sam's eyes were mostly
dried Aragorn pulled him up and into a strong and gentle embrace, spilling kisses on his ears and
neck. Stroking his hands along the length of the hobbits cuddly body he sighed contentedly as
Sam finally returned his embrace.


They stood there for a moment or two until Sam turned his face towards Aragorn and leaned in
to kiss him. But the big man stopped him and set him carefully on the ground. With a final kiss
to his forehead, Aragorn knelt to face his young friend.


"No Sam, you don't have to share yourself with me to buy mysilence, though your sweetness
would be most welcome on this lonely road." said the Ranger, his voice pitched low for Sam's
ears only. "I would never ask anyone so much in love to share themself with me under any
circumstances. It would be wrong, but not in the way you are thinking. I know much of the
world and I was raised in the company of elves, who's mating habits are much different than
human and hobbit and dwarf, though not so much I am sure. I do not judge thve yve you share
with Frodo, nor any act that comes of that love. Nor do I reject it out fear and shame of mine
own. I understand it better than you think and though I pledged to a woman beyond compare, I
have shared the company of my own kind and know the joy of it. My only regret is that you and
Frodo must hide this love, for as you say, it is not something many would understand. You
would receive many hurtful responses, though not I think from quarters you would imagine.
There are others like you and Frodo, more than you think and though there should be no shame,
your secret is best kept and I will gaurd it for you if you will allow it."


Sam gazed gratefully and joyfully into the Ranger's eyes, then flung his arms about him
whispering, "Thank you Strider and I would be mighty glad of you to guard what Mister Frodo
and I share. I fear that it may be all we have in the e Tha Thank you!"


They hugged tightly and briefly, before parting reluctantly. With another caress to Sam's cheek
he gathered up his things and pushed them into the grateful hobbits arms. With a warm squeeze
on his shoulder, Aragorn sent Sam back to the fire to sleep beside his love. As Sam walked
away, he heard him whisper to himself.


"Well, don't that beat all Sam Gamgee. Mister Strider understands and it's no small mercy he
does. You and Mister Frodo are safe after all and you don't have to give up nothing. You're a
lucky hobbit you are Sam. Time to go and cuddle up to Mister Frodo!" he chuckled to himself
and trotted off to bed down beside Frodo. Aragorn smiled to himself in the dark and began his
watch feeling happier than he should.


Continued in LOVE IS LOVE