#and frodo never being the same after the ring

[sapphoismymuse]

don’t think about Bilbo never having a picture to remember Thorin, Kíli, and Fíli by

don’t think about Bilbo realizing, one day, decades later, that he can’t remember what they look like

don’t think about Bilbo writing down the story of The Company of Thorin Oakenshield in a last attempt to remember their voices and preserve their stories

don’t think about Bilbo getting stuck on memories he’s forgotten and writing to the rest of the company to ask them to fill in the blanks

don’t think about the dwarves realizing that they, too, are slowly forgetting the look of their smiles and the sound of their laughter

don’t think about Bilbo wiping his tears away as he describes Fíli and Kíli’s deaths

don’t think about Bilbo improvising dialogue he no longer remembers, and adding words that he wished he could’ve said if they had more time

don’t think about Frodo, confused why his uncle Bilbo spends day after day writing in his study, but won’t share the story yet

don’t think about Bilbo sharing the story with the company after his retirement, of them laughing and fond memories and holding each other through the sad ones

don’t think about Frodo living alone in Bag End, realizing why his uncle seemed so changed after he came home from his adventure

don’t think about Frodo coming home to the finished story after his own adventure, realizing why this story was so important to his uncle

don’t think about Frodo finally understanding how much Thorin had meant to Bilbo through his story

don’t think about Frodo spending months writing the story of his own adventure to cope with his own losses

don’t think about two hobbits, forever unchanged, leaving Middle Earth behind to remember them through their stories

[princessofgondor]

the lord of the rings characters + cuddling with them 🩷

Characters Included: Boromir, Faramir, Aragorn, Arwen, Éowyn, Éomer, Legolas, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry

I decided I wanted to try doing some LOTR preferences! This is my first time writing for all of these characters besides Boromir so I’m still getting a handle on them. If anyone has any requests for preference posts they’d like to see, please send them my way and I’ll see what I can do!!

Author has only seen the movies, so please forgive any mistakes/inaccuracies!

Boromir is definitely pretty touch-starved, and after cuddling with you for the first time he’s very surprised how much he loves it. It becomes a common occurrence for the two of you, something he looks forward to — especially after a long day of training with his soldiers. He loves being the big spoon, and burying his face in your hair or your neck.

Faramir is a big cuddler for sure. You don’t even need to ask — as soon as you rest your head on his shoulder (when you’re sitting together) or on his chest (when you’re laying down together), he’s got his arms wrapped around you, holding you close. He gives you a lot of forehead kisses when you’re cuddling together.

Aragorn loves the moments where the two of you can just relax together, especially when things are getting stressful. He’s happy for the two of you to simply lay there in silence, holding each other, but if you need to talk about anything he’s always ready to listen.

Arwen has an incredibly calming presence, and cuddling with her can improve your mood no matter how bad you were feeling beforehand. She holds you close, whispering comforting words in your ear and pressing gentle kisses to your face and lips every so often.

Éowyn isn’t used to cuddling, but like Boromir she comes to really enjoy it. You make her feel peaceful and happy in a way that she’s never experienced before, and so she loves to be close to you as often as possible. She has a tendency to play with your hair, and she likes it when you do the same to her.

At first, Éomer tries to look tough and doesn’t admit how much he likes cuddling with you. But each time, it becomes increasingly obvious how much he loves it. Similar to Éowyn, he likes it when you play with his hair.

Legolas finds it adorable how much you love to cuddle with him, especially when you get cold. As an Elf he can’t feel the cold, but he can always tell that the temperature is dropping when you cuddle up to him. He’s perfectly happy to stay bundled up with you for as long as you need him there.

Frodo loves when the two of you cuddle up while reading a book together, though sometimes he gets distracted from the words on the page because he’s looking at you. If this is after the main events of LOTR, I could see your presence/touch being able to help Frodo heal from his traumatic experiences, at least somewhat.

Sam is incredibly affectionate, so he definitely loves cuddling. He’s a bit shy about it at first, getting a bit embarrassed and not knowing what he should be doing — like where should his arms/hands be? He doesn’t want to upset you or make you uncomfortable — but once he’s used to it, it’s his favourite thing in the world.

Pippin absolutely loves cuddling with you and he doesn’t care who knows it. Honestly, if he could spend his entire life cuddled up with you and some snacks then he’d be the happiest Hobbit who ever lived. It doesn’t matter where you are, if you’re near each other he’ll want to either have his arms around you or be resting against you.

I think that like Pippin, Merry loves cuddling, but he’s a little less likely to do it publicly. When it’s just the two of you however he loves nothing more than being close to you. He probably makes little jokes and lightly teases you for being so eager to cuddle with him, but it’s all very light-hearted and you know that he loves it too.

[warrioreowynofrohan]

A bit of a theory that I’ve struck on while rereading the start of FOTR. I think there’s something guarding Rivendell besides the Bruinen. I think Elrond has taken a leaf out of Melian’s book.

There are some hints that the distance to Rivendell varies depending on who you are. Frodo starts approaching the Ford in late afternoon; he is in desperate need of healing, and is brought to Rivendell midway into that same night.

In The Hobbit, in contrast, the dwarves and Bilbo cross the Ford of Bruinen in the morning, and the sun is down by the time they reach Rivendell. There’s lot of references to the journey being longer than Bilbo would expect:

They came on unexpected valleys, narrow with steep sides, that opened suddenly at their feet, and then looked down surprised to see trees below them and running water at the bottom. There were gullies that they could almost leap over, but very deep with waterfalls in them. There were dark ravines that one could neither jump over or climb into. There were bogs, some of them green pleasant places to look at, with flowers growing bright and tall; but a pony that walked there with a pack on its back would never have come out again. It was indeed a mich wider land from the ford to the mountains than you would ever have guessed. Bilbo was astonished.

Then there’s Aragorn’s line when Merry asks him how far it is to Rivendell:

“I don’t know if the Road has ever been measured in miles beyond The Forsaken Inn, a day’s journey east of Bree. Some say it is far, and others say otherwise. It is a strange road, and folk are glad to meet their journey’s end, whether the time is long or short. But I know how long it would take me on my own feet, with fair weather and no ill fortune: twelve days from here to the Ford of Bruinen.”

(By the way, it always amazes me, now I’ve noticed it, that the hobbits manage this journey - which Aragorn says would take him 12 days on the Road, with “fair weather and no ill fortune,” in only 14 days with Frodo severely injured, travelling mainly off the Road, and with some bad weather and wrong directions. Some of that’s due to the extremely fast pace Glorfindel sets for the last twoand a half days, but it’s incredibly impressive.)

If anyone should know the distance from Bree to Rivendell, it should be Aragorn, a Ranger of the North fostered in Rivendell, who has probably covered that journey dozens to hundreds of times. And the Road is fairly straight; it shouldn’t be hard for travellers to keep track of the general distance. And also, Aragorn only gives the distance to the Ford, not to Rivendell itself. What if the distance and difficulty of the Road from the Ford to Rivendell varies, based on how well a guest is known. Frodo is the Ring-bearer, in desperate need; he makes it there fast. Thorin & Company are vouched for by Gandalf, but are largely an unknown quantity; it takes them the better part of a day. Someone with hostile intentions might never find Rivendell at all, even after days of wanderings.

[jewishrat420]

Eddie realizes he's a boy when he's thirteen.

And it's not magical, nor is it mundane, nor is it anything else that the pamphlet he found in the back of the record shop told him it might be.

It just kind of... happens. A few times.

First, he's in the shower.

He's scrubbing himself down with the loofah Wayne bought him, and it tickles and itches and rubs him in all the wrong ways, but he uses it because Wayne spent money on it.

It feels the worst when he scrubs over his chest, but it also kind of feels good.

Feels like he's washing a part of himself away that's unclean. Scrubbing and scrubbing until the skin is raw and red, hoping and praying that it too will come off with the water, drip down the drain with all the other dirty parts of himself.

It doesn't, and so he forgets.

Until his twelfth birthday.

Because there are pink candles on the cake.

There are pink candles on the cake.

And he doesn't know why, and he won't know why until another year after this, but he cries.

He cries until his throat burns and his skin sings with defiance at the feeling of traitorous tears turning his cheeks flushed and blotchy. He cries because it hurts.

He cries because the candles on the cake are pink, and the last birthday party he went to (back in third grade, before his class realized he was a parentless freak) boasted blue candles. Blue for a boy.

He doesn't know why, but he finds himself nauseous at the sight of his own.

Pink. For a girl.

And he doesn't get it, doesn't put two and two together, but he can't stand the sight of them.

He throws the cake to the ground and storms to his room.

And somehow, even though he should be, Wayne isn't mad at him.

He just lets Eddie be for a few hours, and then he returns with a can of soda (even though Eddie's rarely allowed to have any) and a new copy of Lord of the Rings, and he sits at the edge of the bed and says nothing.

Eddie sniffles. Wipes his nose with his sleeve. Apologizes for ruining the cake.

Wayne brushes him off. "I'll do it right next year."

Eddie doesn't know what he means.

(The following year, when Wayne comes out with blue candles on a blue cake, he understands.)

Either way, the realization is neither magical nor mundane. It's not special and it's not not special. It just is.

It goes like this:

He's reading that same copy of Lord of the Rings, sitting in the same bed, wearing the same clothes, and he thinks that he'd like to be like Frodo.

Or Sam.

Or Aragorn.

And he doesn't quite know why, and it doesn't quite matter. He just sits there, and sips at his soda (that he grabbed from the cabinet himself, because Wayne let him), and thinks that he'd like to cut his hair.

(Later, he'll realize that he prefers it long.)

He starts wearing his t-shirts baggier, and his shorts longer. Throws away all the skirts and dresses that never fit him quite right, then later finds some that do.

It's not mundane, and it's not magical. It just kind of is.

Eddie realizes that he's a boy the same way that he realizes he's been breathing his entire life. Constantly, and without effort.

And so he continues on, being a boy and breathing, in that very same way.

He sips his soda, and reads his books, and feels a little sick when he sees the color pink.

Feels better, though, knowing that he belongs to blue.

-

original thread

[rey-jake-therapist]

I keep reading that if people think of TROP Galadriel as the innocent victim of Sauron's awful schemings, despite the fact that she orchestrated the whole thing and that Sauron just played along (which was very wrong of him, but it's a separate issue), is because of the movies. Apparently, most viewers saw Third Age Galadriel, as depicted in PJ's movies, as soom angelic figure who was no longer tempted by darkness. But have we seen the same movies ?

I mean, yes, in the 3rd age Galadriel was the Lady of Light, she saved Gandalf, she was kind, she helped the Fellowship in their task, no question here. But still, this was also Galadriel in PJ's movies :

It's not TROP Galadriel who's tempted by the One Ring and who turns into a scary, dark, power hungry figure and who says these words, but Peter Jackson's.

You offer it to me freely? I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired this. In place of a Dark Lord you would have a Queen. Not dark but beautiful and terrible as the Morning. Treacherous as the Sea. Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair.

And why did she turn all dark and scary in The Hobbit, when she faced Sauron ? If she was so pure, so perfect as certain people seem to think, shouldn't have her light been enough to cast him out ?

Also, should we forget what Gimli told his friends, when they approached her domain ?

Stay close, young hobbits..they say a Sorceress lives in these woods. An elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell…and are never seen again! Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily.

I mean, what Gimli refers to was probably just some nasty rumours ;) But the bottom line is this : Third Age Galadriel IS scary. Mortals are afraid of her, and of what she could do to them. We never hear any character speaking of Elrond this way, do we ? There's no smoke without fire...

When she resists the temptation of the One Ring, she says "I pass the test." Because yes, despite being the ethereal she-Elf she is, despite being the Lady of Light.... She still had to earn her final journey to Valinor. She admits herself that she desired the One Ring a lot, and gave much thought to what she could do with it if she had it in her hands.

It's even more obvious if we compare Galadriel's reaction to Frodo's offer, with Gandalf's. Gandalf looks visibly conflicted when Frodo offers him the One Ring, but he doesn't even want to consider it. Gandalf probably desired the Ring too, but not as intensely as Galadriel did, and unlike her he didn't need to pass that test, because he already decided a long time ago that it would be too dangerous for him to use it. And he's a Ring bearer just like Galadriel is, so he knows what the Rings of power can do.

Even Aragorn gets tested, and passes without difficulty, which shows how pure of heart he is, despite being a man.

After Boromir, Galadriel's the one who struggles the most to resist the One Ring. I think that should inform us about who Galadriel used to be, before she found her path to the Light.

Stop taking Galadriel for what she's not. She's not innocent, she's not "all light", she's not pure, she's not a victim, and she's definitely not the Virgin Mary.

And by the way, why do you think that Galadriel feels so bad in season 2 ? Why does Elrond call her out when she throws Sauron under the bus as the sole responsible for her mistakes ? Why does she want to fix her mistakes, if she didn't do any ? Galadriel KNOWS that she screwed up when she placed all her hopes in a "man" who kept telling her he wasn't the hero she sought. And her screwing up whas not only trusting Sauron to be a good guy, mind you.

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

Let’s talk 1x08 and 2x08 epilogues and how they set up next season

Allow me to explore this idea: what clues can 2x08 epilogue give us on what to expect for Season 3, taking 1x08 epilogue as an example? In TV shows, the epilogues of season finales are meant to set up the events and the tone for the next season.

Let’s start with Season 1 finale, and how it translated in Season 2:

1) Setting up the feud between Elrond and Galadriel in Season 2:

2) Setting up Celebrimbor’s pride as the reason for him to fall prey of Sauron’s deception:

3) Setting up Eregion (mainly the forge) as the one of the major locations of Season 2:

4) Setting up Sauron’s connection to the Three rings of power:

5) Setting up the forging of the rings of power plot in Season 2:

6) The red herring:

Now, let's take a look at Season 2 finale epilogue, and what clues it might give us for Season 3:

Sauron and Fëanor Hammer:

To me, this scene is quite straightforward: it’s foreshadowing for Sauron forging the One ring in Season 3. Because the show can’t postpone that to Season 4 (Fall of Númenor), really. We know this from Tolkien lore. 

"A sanctuary. Protected... by the Elven Rings":

This location will definitely be Imladris (more known as Rivendell), and, if Season 1 finale is anything to do by, it will be one of the major locations in Season 3. With Elrond building it, and becoming an Elf-lord of his own right.

Gil-galad: Sauron's armies are roving across Eriador. All Middle-earth is within his reach now. Even Lindon. We must decide whether to attack and bring the fight to him... or to fall back, to prepare our defenses. Galadriel: The sword or the shield. Elrond: Many of Eregion's bravest fell. The few who survived are all but broken. In body or spirit. They have little strength left with which to fight. They barely had strength to flee. Arondir: What course would you advise, Commander Galadriel? Galadriel: I would remember the counsel of our dear friend, Celebrimbor, Greatest of Elven-smiths. And remind our people... that it is not strength that overcomes darkness, but light. And the sun yet shines.

From Tolkien legendarium we know several things: Sauron will attack Lindon, and lay siege to Rivendell (“First Siege of Imladris”). The Elves will also fight back, and this will culminate in the Battle of the Gwanthló (probably Season 3 finale), where Sauron allows himself to get captured by Ar-Pharazôn and brought to Númenor as prisoner, kicking off Season 4.

Will there be consequences to Morgoth’s crown wound?

What consequences will this wound have on Galadriel?

In “Fellowship of the Ring”, Frodo is injured by the Witch King of Angmar, using a Morgul blade. In spite, of being healed by Elrond, this wound never fully heals, even after the One Ring is destroyed and Sauron is defeated. On the anniversary of receiving the wound, Frodo becomes seriously ill, and he's unable to lead a normal life (like Sam, for instance). This leads him to go to Valinor, at the end of the story.

“Alas! there are some wounds that cannot be wholly cured," said Gandalf. "I fear it may be so with mine," said Frodo. "There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same. I am wounded with knife, sting, and tooth, and a long burden. Where shall I find rest?” The Return of the King

Frodo: It's been four years to the day since Weathertop, Sam. It's never really healed. The Return of the King (2003)

This wound forever changes Frodo, and it’s only a blade forged by Sauron, what consequences will Morgoth’s very own crown, a object filled with dark magic, have on Galadriel? And can 2x08 already have provided us with some foreshadowing on this?

These shots can imply blood binding theory is correct, and Sauron might have transferred some of his powers to Galadriel. This is not mere “camera work”: in the first screenshot it’s Sauron looking down at Galadriel, and the second is Galadriel waking up. The effect on both is the same; hinting a sharing power between them.

In Tolkien lore, Galadriel is a powerful elf-witch, an Elven queen of great magic and power, however in "Rings of Power" we haven't seen her either dealing nor displaying any kind of magical abilities. Yet. Having her blood bound with Sauron can be the show’s explanation for her source of magical power, as well as to why she never faces him directly, working against him from afar, and why Sauron couldn’t conquer Lothlórien unless he went there, himself; as well, as to Sauron’s grouping of her mind for thousands of years into the future, and how Galadriel is able to see into his mind, too.

The Three Elven rings of power: 

Season 2 finale epilogue also focused on the Three Elven rings of power, and this is not random, because Sauron will try to get them during the “War of the Elves and Sauron”. If blood binding is correct, Sauron might take advantage of this to have Galadriel handing the rings to him.

This scene is meant to symbolize the end of Galadriel and Elrond feud over the rings, but also to showcase that Elrond trusts these rings, now.

I’m not sure if this is also foreshadowing for Elrond getting Vilya next season because it seems a bit premature, so in on the fence with that one.

Gil-galad worried expression:

This expression recalled me of Elrond’s on Season 1 finale, which makes me wonder what it can mean. Is this look connected to the rings of power or with these characters?

Gil-galad is the current ring-bearer of Vilya, and, from that perspective, it doesn’t seem to make sense for him to worry about the rings. Especially since he used its power (+ Nenya) to heal Galadriel, earlier. So, it can be related to the characters, yes. And from his angle, it can point to one in particular: Galadriel.

Where is Gandalf headed next?

Woman: Goodbye, Grand-Elf. Gandalf: Grandelf? Nori: They've never seen an Elf before. Never even left home before. [...] And what to leave. If I had my druthers, we... We'd walk the wastes of this world. Eatin' snails and beetles till the sun run out of days, but it's high time. I walked my path, and you walked yours. Gandalf: We are very different creatures, Nori. When all is said and done. Nori: Not so different at all, if you ask me. Nori and Gandalf part ways, 2x08

Can this dialogue be foreshadowing or set up for Gandalf meeting the Elves in Season 3?

Is there a red herring like in Season 1 finale?

Yes, I believe so. And it’s Galadriel appearing all victorious and light after her fight with Sauron. This can parallel Sauron Season 1 finale red herring; where he arrives at Mordor, also looking victorious and ready to take over the place (we all know how that turned out).

If this is, indeed, a red herring what can it mean? That Galadriel will find herself struggling harder than ever with the darkness in Season 3, as a consequence of Morgoth’s crown wound.

[darklinaforever]

Me when I see people saying that if Sauron (even with the context of The Rings of Power), seeks to enter the mind of Galadriel in the original trilogy, well it is only for a question of power :

Are these people aware that the show is supposed to give another context to Sauron's incessant attempts to enter Galadriel's mind than a simple greed for power ? That if he does that, in the context of the show, it's because their share a story ? Because of their cosmic connection ? A cosmic connection that, according to the creators of the show, is also romantic ? But whether you see her as romantic or not ultimately doesn't matter. All that matters is that with The Ring of Power as additional context, Sauron is not just trying to enter Galadriel's mind out of a desire for power, but out of a form of affection / love (romantic or not) caused by their cosmic connection which has not let them go since they finally met. Especially since the Maiar, like the elves, have their memories that never dim. And that among these beings (Maiar or Elves) love is much deeper and lasting than among humans, and that, even if yes, they can love more than once romantically speaking, and so / or also stop loving that way someone (if you agree to see Haladriel / Saurondriel that way) it's still quite rare. So it's highly unlikely that Sauron stopped loving Galadriel, even after all this time fight each other. Especially since these two are in constant parallel in the show, long before they met. Mirrors of each other constantly. So, if Galadriel therefore still loves Halbrand / Sauron after all this time (the fact that she literally repeats several of his words to Frodo does indeed seem to indicate that her affection / love is still there), well it makes sense that that would be the same thing for Sauron for his part. Once again, in terms of writing, with the addition of the show, this is what makes sense. So no, sorry, if you take into account The Ring of Power, and the vision of the writers (so the romantic aspect), well no, you can't say that Sauron is only trying to enter Galadriel's mind in the original trilogy for a simple question of power. Even without the romantic aspect, you can't say it's just about power. The affection is always there, in all cases, for one as for the other. No one is saying that the question of power is not present at all on Sauron's side. She probably is, in fact. But again, it's not just that. The Rings of Power is, once again, supposed to add layers of reading on this subject. Not to mention it's just as much about power on Galadriel's side too, even if the affection / love endures in her for him. Because I remind you that with the context of the show, Sauron is what binds Galadriel to power. And so Galadriel who wants power in the main trilogy, actually also wants Sauron as a result, because one does not exist without the other. Sauron = power and power = Sauron for Galadriel character in this story. They relationship are complex. It's not all about power, or all about affection / love for them. It's a whole.

[ink-stains-and-constellations]

I usually write and post Undertale fanfiction on a different account, but I kept seeing those time-travel The Hobbit fics and I really liked the premise, so I wrote a small bit of one. I have no idea what else to do with it, soooooo here have the random fic I wrote at like 1 AM.

(Quick disclaimer, I'm not actually super well-versed in Middle-Earth lore. I've read and loved The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but I haven't gotten around to reading The Silmarillion or anything yet. I probably got some stuff wrong in terms of lore, so sorry about that. This was written for fun and I'm not planning on making it into a longer fic, but I thought I'd share it because why not.)

Bilbo was dead.

He knew he was dead. He had died in the Undying Lands, finally succumbing to the age of his body, surrounded by Frodo and Gandalf and the elves as he drifted off into his very last adventure. He had lived a long life. A good life. One with regrets, of course, but also one with much joy and love.

Hobbit-lore had never said much about their afterlife - not like the lore of elves, dwarves, or even men - but Bilbo had always supposed it would be something like this, the comfort of home. For he had found himself back in his hobbit-hole, back in Bag-End, seated at his table with a lovely-looking tea spread out before him.

His aches, his weariness, were gone. His joints and back moved easily, without any pain to speak of. His eyesight was perfectly clear. Even his bald patches had vanished, his head and feet covered once again in thick bushes of curly hair.

"Why, I don't feel a day over fifty," he marvelled under his breath, grinning a little.

Leaving his food on the table, he explored his home, running his fingers along the backs of chairs and rifling through drawers. Most things were exactly as he remembered it - better, even for he had not seen his silver spoons for decades, yet there they were, sitting neatly with the rest of his cutlery. The only objects unaccounted for were the things from his adventure; Sting, the coat of mithril, the chests of gold and silver, and the ring (he caught himself a moment before thinking 'his ring'). But he had given Sting and the coat to Frodo anyway, the ring had been destroyed, and he didn't suppose he would need gold or silver in the afterlife, so he paid it no mind.

He had just sat back down to his tea when the doorbell rang. He was not expecting visitors, of course, as he had only just gotten to this hobbitish afterlife, but he was not nearly as fussy about that sort of thing as he had once been, so he got to his feet and went to greet his guest.

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but it hadn't been a dwarf, and it most certainly hadn't been a very familiar dwarf with a long beard and a dark green hood, worn and stained from travel, his bright eyes glittering from beneath its hem.

The dwarf hopped inside as soon as the door was open, hanging his hooded cloak on one of the pegs, then sweeping into a low bow. "Dwalin at your service!"

Bilbo was frozen, one hand still on the polished brass doorknob, staring at his old friend, who now looked decades younger and was wearing the same clothes he had been the first time they had met.

"Dwalin?" he asked. "What are you doing here?" Even if the dwarf was dead too, he surely wouldn't be here, wherever here was.

Dwalin frowned slightly. "I am here for the meeting, of course."

"Meeting?" he echoed, mystified.

"Yes, the meeting." Dwalin gave him an odd look, as if he should have already known. "And, er, whose service do I have the pleasure of being at?"

Bilbo blinked. "What?"

"Your name," Dwalin elaborated.

After a moment of mutually puzzled silence, Bilbo took a closer look at Dwalin. The clothes. The appearance. The expression, politely confused. Asking for his name.

I don't feel a day over fifty.

He swallowed. "I - Bilbo." Slowly, he bowed. "Mister Bilbo Baggins, at your service." He straightened, gesturing to the hall behind him. "I, uh - I just set out tea. Please, help yourself."

Dwalin nodded, bustling off down the hall. Bilbo did not follow him, but sat down on the ornamental chair by all the hooks and put his head in his hands. This... wasn't possible, was it? He couldn't be back then. He had died, for goodness' sake.

Before he could get very far with his thoughts, the bell rang again. He sprang up, nearly wrenching the door open to reveal an old, red-hooded dwarf, who immediately hopped inside.

"I see they have begun to arrive already," he noted as he hung his hood next to Dwalin's. He then bowed, giving Bilbo an entirely unnecessary introduction.

"Balin, at your service!"

"Bilbo Baggins at yours," Bilbo replied, bowing in return. "Dwalin is inside - please, go join him, I'll bring out more tea. Unless you would prefer a little beer?" he added, remembering his old friend's preferences.

Balin smiled. "Yes, and some seed-cake, if you have any."

"Yes, lots."

Balin set off down the hall to join his brother, and Bilbo went to the pantry to collect the beer and seed-cakes.

Well, that settles it, he thought, a tad grimly. I am back at the very beginning of it all. He wasn't entirely enthusiastic about the prospect, given that he knew what lay ahead, but he resolved to do his very best with this second chance. To make their journey better with his knowledge. Maybe he could even save...

He shook his head and quickly delivered Balin's food and drink, right before the bell rang a third time and he had to rush back to the door.

It was Fili and Kili this time, and Bilbo's heart started aching when he saw them, young and whole and alive, their yellow beards clean of blood and grime, their eyes sparkling and clear.

"Kili at your service!"

"And Fili!"

He took their hoods and bags, setting them carefully to the side, and bowed back, fighting the urge to pull them both into a hug. Somehow, he managed to speak past the lump in his throat. "Bilbo Baggins, at yours and your family's."

"Dwalin and Balin here already, I see," said Kili cheerfully. "Let us join the throng!"

Bilbo nodded and stepped aside to let them pass. He very firmly set aside his grief, his questions, his racing thoughts, and fixed his mind on the task at hand - namely, preparing enough food, drink, and chairs to host a company of fifteen.

While the four dwarves settled in and got to talking, he hurriedly set out more places at the table, then started raiding his pantry, bringing out everything from the wine to the cheese wheels. Halfway through, the bell rang again, and he practically sprinted to the door - in fact, he got there fast enough that Gloin had only just come puffing up to the doorstep.

Introductions were short, and the five newcomers soon joined the others at the table while Bilbo went back to emptying his pantries before they could do it themselves.

He had almost finished when a loud rapping echoed down the hall, the knock of wood against wood. Bilbo sighed heavily, thinking mournfully of the dent in his nice green door that he had never quite gotten around to fixing, and, whisking one last plate of food onto the table, set off to let his guests inside for the fifth and final time that night.

He made sure to open the door very slowly and carefully, so as not to repeat his mistake from all those years ago and end up with a pile of dwarves on his doormat. This time, all four of them hopped inside without incident, and Gandalf ducked through the doorway a moment later.

"Hello, Bilbo," he greeted with a smile. "I hope you do not mind terribly that I brought guests to our tea."

Bilbo sighed again, casting a glance in the direction of his depleted pantries. "Not at all, Gandalf."

"Excellent!" The wizard clapped his hands. "Now, allow me to introduce you to Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and especially Thorin!"

There were the usual bows and "At your service"s from Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, and none at all from Thorin, not that Bilbo had expected any. He gave all four of them a deep bow in return.

"Bilbo Baggins." He glanced up, meeting Thorin's proud gaze and ignoring the pang of grief, an old, old pain that had never really gone away. "At your service."

Thorin merely turned to toss his sky-blue, silver-tasselled hood onto a hook beside the others.

"Now we are all here!" declared Gandalf, hanging his hat at the end of the row of hoods. "Quite a merry gathering. I hope there is something left for the latecomers to eat and drink!"

"Yes, there's plenty," replied Bilbo, gesturing for the group to follow him down the hall.

Gandalf fell into step beside him, peering curiously down at him. He opened his mouth to ask something, but Bilbo quickly interrupted.

"Be careful of the -"

Thunk.

"Rafters," Bilbo finished with yet another sigh, watching Gandalf rub his head.

"A little low, these ceilings," the wizard commented, grimacing.

"Or maybe you're just a little tall!" called a grinning Fili from the dining room. "We seem to be managing just fine."

"Impertinent dwarf," Gandalf grumbled, hunched over to keep from hitting his head again.

Bilbo darted ahead to pull out a chair for Thorin, the grandest chair he could find in his little hobbit-hole. Thorin paused for a moment, then slowly sank into it, nodding his thanks. Bilbo gave him a quick smile and took his own place at the table, which he had made sure to include this time, as he didn't want to miss out on all the food again.

He wasn't much for conversation, as he didn't want to slip up and reveal all the things he knew, but he didn't bother asking if they would stay for supper after the meal was finished. Already knowing the answer, he just made to collect the plates, and didn't protest when the dwarves sprang up to clear them away instead.

The dishes were soon cleaned and put away, and the dwarves came back to find Bilbo watching Thorin and Gandalf blow smoke-rings around the room.

"Now for some music!" Thorin declared as his company filed into the room, snuffing out his pipe and setting it aside. "Bring out the instruments!"

There was a rush for instruments just as Bilbo remembered, and he sat back in his chair to listen to the dwarves' music. It was enthralling as it had been the first time, and he felt as though he was indeed fifty all over again and feeling a great desire for adventure. He found himself humming quietly along to the familiar tune.

It eventually stopped, of course, once dark had fallen, and Thorin stood to begin his speech.

"Gandalf, dwarves, and Mister Baggins! We are met together in the house of our friend and fellow conspirator, this most excellent and audacious hobbit - may the hair on his toes never fall out! All praise to his wine and ale!"

The ache in Bilbo's heart increased upon hearing his friend's typically long-winded beginning, and he barely managed to reply, "You are very kind." His voice came out with a funny choked quality to it, as if he was about to cry. Which was, of course, absurd, he thought as he blinked furiously against his burning eyes.

Thorin stopped, staring at Bilbo, his brow furrowed. "Is something the matter, Mister Baggins?"

Bilbo quickly shook his head, scrubbing away the tears that were leaking down his cheeks. "Nothing at all, Thorin," he whispered, unable to help the familiarity that slipped out with his friend's first name. "And, uh -" He cleared his throat, speaking a little louder. "Please, call me Bilbo, all of you. It seems appropriate if we're to - uh, work together."

Slowly, Thorin nodded, although he did not continue with his speech. He just... stared at Bilbo, a puzzled divot between his heavy brows, until Bilbo shifted uncomfortably, worried that he had made a mistake.

"Tell me, Mister Baggi - Bilbo," said Thorin suddenly. "Do you have much experience in the matter of burglary?"

Bilbo felt his lips twist into a humourless smile as images flashed in his mind. A golden cup. A large gemstone that could be called white, if you ascribed the same colour to the stars themselves. Before that, a set of keys, countless morsels of food, even the very dwarves who now sat in his dining room. All done while invisible, of course, but perhaps this time he could be a burglar before he found the ring as well as afterwards. (He was a little reluctant to take possession of the ring again now that he knew what it was, but he also knew that it had been an invaluable asset on their journey, and besides if he hadn't found it, it wouldn't have been destroyed, so he resolved to pick it up again as he had before.)

"Yes. Quite a bit, in fact."

A murmur of surprise went around the room. Even Gandalf's bushy eyebrows raised, although he stayed silent, still puffing on his pipe.

"How about travel?" Thorin asked, evidently set on grilling him now. "Fighting? Sword or axe, what's your weapon of choice?"

Bilbo sighed yet again. "I'm rather skilled at darts, if you must know, and I quite enjoy a good hike now and then," he answered, voice dripping with sarcasm that he never would have dared back at the beginning, but he was rather used to being treated with the indulgence afforded to eccentric elderly folk, so he didn't think much of it at all until Thorin snorted and he realised that the dwarf had taken his words seriously.

Another outbreak of muttering spread throughout the room, and amidst all the questions about his sincerity, he caught the fated words, murmured by Gloin to Oin.

"He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

Bilbo's teeth gritted, and he addressed Thorin again, discarding the sarcasm this time. "In all seriousness, I favour a sword, although seeing how I am not currently in possession of one, the question seems moot."

Thorin looked him up and down, as if trying and failing to imagine him using a sword. "I see."

Electing to ignore the dwarves' doubt, Bilbo stood, heading towards the hallway. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I am going to -" His toes snagged on something, perhaps a hole in the carpet, and he stumbled, a hand darting out to steady himself upon Gandalf, who happened to be the nearest solid object.

"Oh, terribly sorry, Gandalf," apologised Bilbo, looking quite a bit less flustered than one might expect. "As I was saying, I am going to fetch a light. I will return in a moment."

"Excellent idea," replied Gandalf, peering down at Bilbo. The dwarves may not have found his stumble suspicious, but the wizard was well aware of the surefootedness of hobbits and suspected Bilbo to be up to something, which, of course, he was.

At fifty, Bilbo Baggins had been polite to a fault and wholly inexperienced in theft. However, having lived over a hundred and thirty years before his death, he now considered himself a fairly seasoned burglar and quite disliked being doubted or mocked. So when he saw the opportunity to prove himself, he took it, and by the time he returned with a lamp, Gandalf was rifling through his pockets in search of a map he was certain he had had on his person.

Bilbo placed the lamp on the table and tilted his head curiously at the wizard, struggling to conceal a grin. "Is there something wrong, Gandalf?"

Gandalf's shrewd eyes snapped to him, and he gazed intently for a moment or two before explaining, "I seem to have lost a rather important map. You wouldn't happen to have any idea of its whereabouts, would you?"

"Not the foggiest clue," Bilbo replied, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Oh - wait, what is this?" With a - perhaps unnecessary - theatrical flourish, he withdrew the map from his waistcoat, holding it up. "Well, it appears it's right here in my pocket. How odd." He dropped it onto the table in front of Gandalf, his grin breaking through his attempted poker face.

Gandalf stared at the map for a few seconds, then chuckled loudly and suddenly, patting Bilbo on the back. "Very impressive, my friend."

Bilbo laughed and went to sit back down, not noticing the suspicious look Gandalf shot him behind his back.

"Now, then," the wizard began, spreading the map out on the table. "This was made by Thror, your grandfather, Thorin. It is a plan of the Mountain."

Thorin glanced at it, then shook his head, disappointed. "I don't see how this will help us much. I remember the Mountain well enough, and the lands about it. And I know where Mirkwood is, and the Withered Heath where the great dragons bred."

"There is a dragon marked in red on the Mountain," put in Balin. "But it will be easy enough to find him without that, if ever we arrive there."

"Unfortunately so," Bilbo murmured to himself, his shoulders curling a little inwards.

"There is one thing you haven't noticed, and that is the secret entrance," pointed out Gandalf. "You see that rune on the west side, and the hand pointing to it from the other runes? That marks a hidden passage to the Lower Halls."

"It may have been secret once," Thorin countered, "but how do we know it remains so? Old Smaug has lived there long enough now to find out anything there is to know about those caves."

"He may, but he can't have ever used it. It is far too small for him - 'five feet high the door and three may walk abreast' say the runes, and Smaug couldn't have crept into a hole that size even when he was a young dragon, let alone now, after devouring so many of the dwarves and the men of Dale. In any case, the door should be closed and hidden, made to look exactly like the side of the mountain, and therefore kept secret from the rest of the world, if not from Smaug."

Bilbo leant closer to get a proper look at the map, which he had not seen for decades. The Mountain drawn in dark ink on the paper seemed a lot smaller than the Mountain of his memories.

"Also," Gandalf went on, "I forgot to mention that with the map came a key, a small and curious key. Here it is!" He presented it to Thorin, a key with a long barrel and intricate wards, flashing silver in the lamplight. "Keep it safe!"

"Indeed I will," replied Thorin, taking the key and fastening it upon the fine gold chain that hung around his neck. "Now things begin to look more hopeful. This news alters them much for the better. So far we have had no clear idea of what to do. We thought of going east, as quiet and careful as we could, as far as the Long Lake -"

Bilbo had heard Thorin's ramblings before, of course, and if this was an ordinary meeting with friends, he would have tuned him out. However, he was acutely aware of just how precious his time here was - every second with Thorin and Fili and Kili alive, every second with the others smiling and in good cheer, every second unburdened by deep, heavy grief - so he listened quietly to the voice he'd spent so many years missing.

"- but we none of us liked the idea of the Front Gate. The river runs right out of it through the great cliff at the south of the Mountain, and out of it comes the dragon too - far too often, unless he has changed his habits."

"That would be no good," added Gandalf. "Not without a mighty warrior, even a hero. I tried to find one, but warriors are busy fighting one another in distant lands, and in this neighbourhood, heroes are scarce, or simply not to be found. Swords in these parts are mostly blunt, axes are used for trees, and shields as cradles or dish-covers; dragons are comfortably far-off, and therefore legendary. That is why I settled on burglary - especially when I remembered the existence of a side-door. And here is our little Bilbo Baggins, the burglar, the chosen and selected burglar. So now let's get on and make some plans."

"Very well, then," agreed Thorin. "Supposing the burglar gives us some ideas or suggestions." He turned to Bilbo with mock politeness, although it was a bit less mocking than it had been the first time around.

Bilbo drew himself up, meeting Thorin's gaze with a determined look. He was the only one there who knew what was in store, and over the course of the night, he had come to the decision that he meant to bring them all through the journey and out the other side alive and more or less intact, if at all possible. "Certainly, Thorin," he answered briskly. "I should think that we ought to focus on actually getting there and finding the side-door before we worry about dealing with much else. I take it there is quite a lot of treasure?" he added, although he already knew.

Thorin nodded. "Yes, halls upon halls of it."

"It will be impossible for me to move it all by myself. I will be able to perhaps steal one or two pieces before the dragon notices us, so I would suggest you give some thought as to which pieces you should like." A large white gem glimmered in his mind again before he pushed the image away and forged on, ignoring the echoes of dread. "I would also suggest -" His voice trembled, and he cleared his throat, trying to keep his words steady. "I would also suggest that we take a moment to consider the possibility of things such as dragon-sickness, and how it may be overcome once the Mountain is in our possession."

"Sage advice," said Gandalf approvingly, filing away his suspicion to deal with later and patting Bilbo on the shoulder.

Bilbo threw him a quick smile, though he was unable to hide the hint of tiredness to it. He found that he didn't particularly want to speak of their journey anymore, not with the knowledge of what was to come weighing on him, heavy as a sack of dragon-guarded gold.

"And, well, don't you know, I think we have talked long enough for one night, if you see what I mean. What about bed, and an early start, and all that? I would appreciate some help with breakfast tomorrow, if anyone would be so kind."

"You're the host, are you not?" replied Thorin, raising a dark, heavy brow. "But I agree about bed and breakfast. I like six eggs with my ham when starting on a journey - fried, not poached, and mind you don't break 'em."

Bilbo crossed his arms, staring at the dwarf expectantly, until Thorin reluctantly added, "Please."

Bilbo nodded and grabbed a small notebook that had been laying on the mantlepiece, quickly jotting down Thorin's preferred breakfast. "Anyone else?"

The dwarves and Gandalf all ordered their breakfasts, and Bilbo managed to get a 'please' from every one of them. Afterwards, he had to find places for all of them to sleep, which was thankfully a much shorter affair than last time, as he had his previous experiences to go by. He did have to dig extra blankets out of the linen cupboard, and set several dwarves and Gandalf (who was much too tall for his spare beds) up on couches and chairs, but he eventually got them all stowed away and retired to his own little bed. The shock of finding himself back in the past, along with having to host thirteen dwarves and a wizard, had left him rather exhausted, despite the renewed strength of his younger body. Before he collapsed into bed, he remembered to leave a sliver of his curtains unclosed, so that he would be awoken by the rays of dawn.

He fell asleep to the sound of Thorin's humming from the bedroom next to his, and this time, it was comforting.

The Hobbit was created by J.R.R. Tolkien.

[e-louise-bates]

Recently I've been mulling over the way Faramir and Boromir are presented in the LOTR movies, and why I find even their brotherly relationship unconvincing (I'm sorry, Boromir fans, but I do). I feel that everything about Faramir in the movies is presented in narrative as though he is a lesser version of Boromir, and the big issue for him is that he's always trying to live up to his brother's ideal, and his father is always criticizing him and Boromir is always trying to build Faramir up. It isn't just that Denethor thinks of Faramir as a lesser Boromir, it's that he genuinely is, and he needs to come to terms with who he is (and I guess he sorta does that when he rejects the ring? but then fails when his father tells him to go retake Osgiliath? and then there's never really a satisfactory conclusion to his arc because he just gets healed and falls in love with Eowyn and decides there's hope for the future after all and everything's ok?).

Whereas in the books Tolkien tells us outright--Boromir is a lesser version of Aragorn, but Faramir is a lesser version of Gandalf. Faramir has the wisdom that his brother and father lack, and Denethor resents him for it, but Boromir respects him for it. Tolkien tells us that Faramir is certain that in all of Gondor there is no one like Boromir, and Boromir thinks the same (which I am pretty sure Tolkien means as Boromir thinks Faramir is the best of the best, but could also be interpreted as Boromir agreeing with Faramir that he, Boromir, is the best, which is kinda hilarious to imagine). Boromir is not always trying to build up his little brother, who is desperately trying to win their father's approval. Boromir recognizes the ways in which Faramir is superior to himself, the same way that Faramir recognizes Boromir's strengths.

Faramir in the books is a strong and capable leader of men (all of whom love him and are wholly loyal to him) as well as a mighty warrior, but his true strength lies in his wisdom. When he obeys his father's order to go attempt to retake Osgiliath, it is not a desperate attempt to win approval, but an acknowledgement that Denethor is still in command and he, Faramir, is bound by oath and virtue to obey his orders, even when they wrong. The quiet plea for his father to think better of him when he returns is a glimpse into the pain he feels at his father's constant rejection, but that pain does not control him, nor is it his driving motivation. Faramir's goal, in all things, is to be a man of virtue, even as Boromir's goal is to be a man of honor. Boromir finds that under the ring's temptation, honor breaks, and though he is redeemed it takes his death. When Faramir is confronted with the same temptation--a stronger one, even, as he has not spent weeks and months with Frodo as a companion and therefore has not built a relationship of trust and loyalty, and he has not heard with his own ears the strong warnings against using the ring!--virtue holds fast. Boromir redeems his own honor by his death, but by his life Faramir redeems the line of the stewards of Gondor, which is why he is able to receive the task of redeeming Ithilien once Aragorn is crowned king (and why he is actually a better husband for Eowyn than Aragorn would have been, but that's a whole other post).

All of this was lost in presenting Boromir as the superior-in-every-way elder brother, with Faramir as his shadow-self, who failed the same test with the ring but in a weaker way (and then passed at the last minute because ... Sam gave a moving speech about good in the world being worth fighting for and not giving up, and he decided that was a good reason to let them go destroy the ring after all?), and whose entire character was defined by desperately striving for his father's approval and never getting it, and then somehow just being ok at the end.

[re-bee-key]

To me, I hold the One Piece Live Action with the same reverence as I do Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings.

It is a beautiful dramatization that, while it will never be able to cover the scope and complexity of the original, is able to embody the spirit of what made the story so beloved.

I feel also confident to compare One Piece to The Lord of the Rings.

Both are stories about a band of heroes who travel far across a wild, ruined world for a piece of treasure whose fate will change everything and free everyone.

Set in fantastical worlds that not so subtly mirror our own.

The Lord of the Rings is one of the best stories ever written. It was written to feel like a mythology lost to time. Something ancient and forgotten and unreal but hiding bits of truth.

And I truly believe One Piece is similar. I think its one of the greatest stories ever written.

One that has been spread all over the world. The comic circulating in 43 countries and now the live action show available in 84.

Can you imagine that scope? Can you imagine your story being read by so many people from all over the world? Can you imagine how long that legacy could be?

One Piece is the highest sold manga in the world, almost the highest selling comic in the world, and soon will surpass Harry Potter in general printed book sales. It has a theme park, restaurants, movies, shows, video games, toys.

How will all of this translate to a lasting legacy?

Will Luffy be as long-lasting as Frodo? As Hamlet? As Hercules? As Gilgamesh?

What will happen in the years after he finds the One Piece?

I, for one, think Luffy will go down in history as the most famous pirate in fiction. Truly becoming, King of the Pirates.

(Anyways, ive been over thinking again. And, i just love One Piece so much. What are y'alls thoughts?)

[librivore42]

Patchwork Hearts

It was about dang time I wrote a Lord of the Rings fic. It's a shortie but it's a start. Inspired by this post by @idontknowhowtoplayguitar

Ao3 link below, and the entire thing is ever more below!

Patchwork hearts (556 words) by Librivore42

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Hobbit - All Media Types

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf (Tolkien)

Additional Tags: i love them your honour, they're the kind of friends who snipe at each other one day, and sit and smoke on the porch the next

Summary:

Bilbo, ever the adventurer, has had a life full of living and of love. A short rumination on adventure, life, and the memories we keep of our friends.

~~~~~~~

The patches were a distinctly hobbitish thing, homely and warm with that communal sense of hail-fellow-well-met that was prevalent in the nicer parts of the Shire. Which was to say, parts that did not contain the Sackville-Bagginses. Bilbo had collected many on his long adventures, politely requested from amused elves, dwarves and every stripe of man in his most official and businesslike manner, as one would request a personal and most valued favour.

The old clothes were left behind as the patches migrated from suit to suit, and he wondered if someday he might have a suit that was all patches. Wouldn’t that be such a fine thing! A tribute to a life long and broad and most well-lived. A map of all his adventures.

And Frodo’s. He’d been most honoured to request a further patch from him before he left Rivendell, and one after. The suit had, by now, been set aside most carefully so that it would not wear, taken out only for the most special of occasions. By now he had as many patches, nearly, as he had stories, yet not nearly as many as he had room for fondness in his heart.

He had never yet asked one of Gandalf. A strange embarrassment came over him at the very thought of it. Perhaps the wizard would give him one when he wished.

At Bag End Gandalf and Bilbo had parted… not coldly, never that, but the shadow of the Ring had passed a chill over them that had sent both shivering even as Bilbo had stepped out the door. Gandalf had known, then, that he would see him again. But as they went to part again at the Last Homely House in Rivendell, he was no longer entirely sure.

And so as Gandalf set off at the head of the Fellowship, determined to lead them for as far as he was able, it being his turn to leave the other standing on the doorstep, as it were, he left Bilbo with a small scrap from one of his more worn travel cloaks.

On their final journey together, as the old Hobbit was helped into the boat with much the same grumbling as he’d done when he’d been forced out of his comfortable hole at the beginning of all his adventures, Gandalf’s impressive eyebrows rose at the much-beloved, much-patched suit.

He was not surprised. The careful storage had kept the clothing in very good order, and patches, especially sentimental ones that were not holding together the already well-trodden paths of an old suit, would of course last. So he was not, indeed, surprised. Gratified was the word, to see the fabric of his cloak on Bilbo’s shoulder, a shoulder he had often grasped to give solace, to guide, and perhaps give many an unwelcome push.

A special occasion this was indeed. He did not smile as he sat across from Bilbo, but his eyes had a deep warmth behind their usual sharp fire, and the old Hobbit gave him a beam that creased his entire face into a map of a life most well-lived.

“Well Gandalf?”

“The road goes ever on and on, doesn’t it?”

The solemn casting off of the boat was shot through with warm, hobbitish laughter that rang out over the water.

“It does indeed, old friend. It does indeed.”

[etaleah]

On the one hand, yes I want Sonic to catch Shadow in the third movie or in a remastered SA2 because I like Sonadow; HOWEVER, I also want it because it would be the ending that makes the most narrative sense.

For one thing, it’s a simple, believable explanation for how Shadow could survive that doesn’t involve having to come up with convoluted justifications for Shadow somehow being unharmed after falling to Earth and burning up in the atmosphere or why/how Eggman would save him and how Shadow mysteriously got his inhibitor ring back. Saving Shadow, especially at that point in the story, is something everybody could believe Sonic would do, no clarification needed. That’s just who Sonic is.

For another, it saves the creators from having to go through the amnesia song and dance again (which I personally think was a mistake and only implemented to give him something to do in Heroes) or taking the risk of killing off a fan favorite that’s extremely marketable. Shadow just never gets amnesia because he never falls. Simple as that. He never dies because Sonic saves him.

And while it might be easy to think that Shadow not dying or being thought to have died at the end would weaken the sacrifice, I actually don’t think that’s true. Just having Shadow remove the inhibitor ring and starting to fall afterwards shows that he was willing to make the sacrifice, and that matters much more than whether he actually ends up having to make it. Frodo and Sam don’t die on their journey to Mount Doom, but that doesn’t make them not heroes. They were willing to die for the cause, and that’s what counts. The same is true for Shadow.

Having Sonic catch him also helps cement that they’re allies/friends now, and that Sonic has forgiven him. Now that Shadow has redeemed himself, he gets to reap the rewards of his redemption. It’s a nice little symbolic gesture that, while it may not be necessary, is still nice to see.

Anyway let Sonic catch Shadow pretty please with a cherry on top covered in a banana sundae.

[fun-k-board]

Lord Of The Rings With a Platonic, Child Reader From Our World

Characters included : Frodo Baggins, Legolas, Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin ' Pippin ' Took and Meriadoc ' Merry ' Brandybuck

Note(s) : They don't have the time to turn around, so you sort of get roped into joining them, at least until they find a place for you to stay.

Also, in this the reader knows about the Jackson movies but never really paid attention to them, and they haven't read the books.

Frodo Baggins

Ah, yes, Frodo. Resident ring bearer and anxiety magnet. He was quick to defend you if any suspicion arouse of your random arrival, you're a human and can't even reach his height, the Hobbit that can't reach an elves or humans chest, so, you must be incredibly young. Because of this, Frodo can't help but want to help you, especially on the quest.

He's very sweet and caring with you and makes sure you get enough rest. Frodo can't exactly carry you, so if you get too tired to walk the most he can do is hold your hand and guide you along. Despite that, he helps in other ways.

Like how he's always giving you extra food and maybe even a spare coat or blanket that's laying around, he makes sure you get enough sleep even if it means he gets less. Given he's the most important part of this mission to destroy the ring, he's usually a bit babied and overprotected, not so much that's it's immediately noticeable, but it's there.

So, he understands how annoyed you can get when it happens with you, though he definetly thinks your situations are different considering he's technically an adult and you aren't even close to being one.

Frodo isn't too sure how to help you when it comes to you being afraid, or angry, or even just in a state of depression about your situation. He doesn't exactly realise how strange and overwhelming it must be for you, until or if you begin to start wearing down mentally. His solution is to try and read you stories, no, he didn't exactly bring any books with him, but he has certain books memorised.

It may help, it may not, but the thought is what counts, and he is trying to help you the best he can with the unfortunate situation he's in.

If you ever claim to know him or the fellowships story, maybe Bilbo's, or even accidently letting in on events to follow, he's stunned. At first given the fact you claimed to be from a land nobody, not even Gandalf, has heard of, the strange reactions you had to their foods and way of life, among many, many other things, he became convinced you weren't human. That, or you were from a different time, the future specifically, he'd never fully believe it or bring it up, but it's always a sneaking suspicion you aren't what you claim.

When it comes time to leave you at a safe village, you're clearly unhappy, wanting nothing more than to stay with the Hobbit who helped you through your toughest hours. Yet, he understands you mustn't come with him, it's far too dangerous for you. And so, he leaves, leaving you heartbroken.

When he eventually returns, the ring destroyed, Middle Earth saved, he can't help but feel empty. His time spent with you becomes short lived, a few months at most, before he decides to move on, leaving you alone again, I suppose it makes leaving Middle Earth to return home easier, but all the more bitter.

Legolas

Legolas understood how weak humans are compared to his kind, and to see a human child so alone made his heart break. He couldn't help but become your protector, especially when you seemingly had no idea how to function in this world. Sometimes, if you're too tired and the rest of the group isn't, he'll pick you up, it can make you feel a little weak, but he assures you it's just because you're young. He'd treat any other child the same.

I think he may be one of the few to actually understand in part what you mean when you say you aren't 'from here'. He won't clock in immediately, but after seeing just how different you viewed life and just everything in general, how you can't do the most basic of tasks without some help, or how you looked at him with such familiarity, there's just a lot he notices that makes him raise a brow.

If you tell him, Legolas may believe your making it up, you're a kid after all, one that's going through a lot. But, after realising you're dead serious he wracks his brain trying to remember if anybody has ever mentioned something like this happening. He wants to try and help you go home, and plans to bring you home with him so he can find a solution somewhere. And if he can't find one? He wants to help you find peace in your predicament as long as you stay there.

When it comes time to leave you at a safe haven, he is sad to leave you behind, you're a little friend, after all. But, he understands it must be done, and explains to you exactly that, which makes the ending a bit more sweet than bitter.

Eventually, he does return, and meets with you once more, he understands that in a blink of his lifetime you'll be dead, but, that doesn't stop him from being your closest ally during all of this. However, you do need to return to Earth. He finds himself mourning you far sooner than he expected.

Samwise Gamgee

Sam becomes a literal dad, you're a random human kid in this traumatic journey to destroy one of the most dangerous items in the entirety of middle Earth, and you claim to have no idea where you are. He's giving you extra food, holding your hand and picking you up, if you get too cold or scared in the night he'll try hugging you for a while and telling you stories of misadventures in the Shire. As plain as they may seem compared to a journey to destroy the most dangerous object in the entirety of Middle Earth.

If you're sad, the most he can do is offer comfort in the way of cuddling, or a story, sometimes he even has to ask Gandalf for help because he's just so lost. Anger is something he can deal with a little better, he holds your hand and tells you why you should be angry, but you shouldn't keep it bottled or use it unfairly against others.

I think at first Sam would just believe you come from a strange human place, and that's why your behaviour is so off. That's until he notices some things, when asked about things he'd consider basic knowledge, you are completely blank, sure, maybe you know what an elf is, but after that you sort of just stare at him confused at what he's talking about. You even believed him to be a dwarf at first!

He asks Boromir and Aragorn if they know any human places that you're talking about, neither know, so he's even more perplexed at what on middle earth you're talking about. He begins to believe you're making it up, he's not condescending like most adults, and he pretends that he understands if to give you some peace of mind, but all it does is make you more frustrated and scared. You just want to go home.

Your short time as friends comes to an end, he must leave further on in the journey, and you must stay behind, you both understand, well, he does and you partly do, all you can do is wait for the ring to be destroyed.

Sam returns, and he takes you back to the Shire with him, where he introduces you to everybody, you're almost like a child to him, but then you leave to go back to Earth. He can't stop his heart from breaking, even more so when Frodo leaves.

Meriadoc 'Merry' Brandybuck and Peregrin 'Pippin' Took

The fact you're incredibly young, found yourself in a traumatic and confusing situation, let's not even mention the fact there's little people with gigantic hariy feet and no shoes, you'll probably try and cope. Whether that's with humor or shutting down, Pippin and Merry are a package deal, no matter if you like them or not, a young and confused presence egnites their curiosity.

Besides, Gandalf specifically told them to not be overbearing and or overwhelm you, so what does Pippin, master of disappointing and angering the grey wizard do? That's right, he becomes overwhelming. And Merry, master of attempting to one up his dear friend, does the exact same.

How they do this depends on your mood, if you're depressed and very shy they'll try cheering you up, asking questions about your home, if that makes it worse? They begin acting even more childish than usual to make you laugh, to the literal pain and torture of Gandalf. But if you're trying to cope with humour, they are more so just tagging along, making jokes that distract you from your pain.

Neither will clock in that you're from an unfamiliar world, sure, you're weird, but so are they. Both assume your strange actions are simply just a result of you being a human, do Boromir or Aragorn act the same? No, but you're a human kid so, that probably factors in somehow.

Both laugh you off if you try to explain the truth, they don't believe you, and reduce it to a good story that they can give to Frodo to write about. You may get angry, sad, or just decide to go with it, neither really notice that you're not lying until someone else points out how dumb that idea is.

When it finally comes time to drop you off, you want to stay with the two, because while they're in part strangers and this is a strange land, they're at least familiar, unlike the place they're basically abandoning you at. Pippin and Merry feel the same, and so sneak you with them.

The situation may become dire, and you probably get incredibly unhealthy and sickly in your time with them, but when it's all over, you feel like you've gained two older brothers. Which will make it so much more painful when you have to say goodbye.

[chaussetteblanche]

just like the wind - IV

A/N: pls this gif is so funny word count: 4'100 (it's a long one) warnings: light violence, misogyny

You are guided to the infirmary so that your wounds can be tended to. The elf tending to you is gentle as he wipes at your cuts and lathers ointment on your bruises. Afterwards, you are shown to the room you would reside in until the arrival of Aragorn and the other Hobbits. There was also talk of a council taking place soon and Gandalf had insisted that both you and Aragorn would need to attend. 

The room is beautiful, much nicer than any room you’ve ever stayed in since you became a Ranger. The five floor-length windows on the right side of the room give view to beautiful waterfalls. The bedding is crisp, white and fluffy. You immediately know you’re going to sleep incredibly well. The rest of the room is decorated with a wide bookcase, a large wardrobe and some plants. A small washroom is adjoined to the room. The elves of Rivendell had been courteous enough to give you some new clothes consisting of beautiful long silk gowns. You are reminded of your childhood, in which you wore the same attires. After taking a bath and washing all the dirt, mud and blood out of your hair and off your skin, you pick out a sage green gown. You leave your hair naturally and smile at your reflection in the mirror before a soft knock on your door is heard. You walk over and open it immediately, finding a young elleth on the other side. She shyly smiles up at you. “Miss, I was told to inform you of the arrival of your companion, the Ranger.” 

“Thank you, little one.” 

She nods before scurrying off. You close the door to your room and set out to find Aragorn. 

As you pass by a spectacularly large door, you hear two familiar voices.

“His strength returns.” You recognize Lord Elrond’s voice. He’s probably talking about Frodo. You stop in your tracks. 

“That wound will never fully heal. He will carry it for the rest of his life,” Gandalf adds. Deciding this might be an interesting conversation, you press your back against the cold wall and listen attentively. "And yet to have come so far bearing the Ring, the Hobbit has shown extraordinary resilience to its evil," Elrond points out, sounding impressed. You can’t help but agree. You had felt its power emanating off Frodo in dark waves, you couldn’t imagine what it must be like to carry it all by yourself. "It is a burden he should never have had to bear. We can ask no more of Frodo," the wizard reminds. "Gandalf, the enemy is moving," Elrond argues, "Sauron's forces are massing in the East. His eye is fixed on Rivendell and Saruman, you tell me, had betrayed us. Our list of allies grows thin." You frown, you had always thought Saruman uncorruptable. "His treachery runs deeper than you know," Gandalf sighs, "Saruman has crossed Orc with Goblin. He's breeding an army in the walls of Isengard. An army that can move in sunlight with great distance and speed. Saruman is coming for the Ring." You want to slap yourself as you realize why Gandalf had been delayed. He had been in Isengard. You curse yourself for speaking to him so badly, and you curse him for not telling you the truth. You would need to apologize. "This evil can not be concealed by the power of the Elves. We do not have the strength to fight both Mordor and Isengard. Gandalf, the Ring cannot stay here," the elf speaks. Gandalf doesn't answer.

The sound of hooves on pavement pulls you away from the interesting exchange. Your gaze turns to the yard on your right and you see about a dozen individuals arriving by horse. They must be here for the council, you think. A few men, some elves and some dwarves dismount their horses, looking around in awe at the striking scenery. As they take it all in, an elf catches your eye. He looks between you and the half-open door, raising a golden eyebrow. You place a finger on your lips, stomach twisting into a knot at the idea of being found out. He nods discreetly and turns away, joining the other elves’ discussion. You breathe out a sigh of relief and watch the large group being escorted to another courtyard.

"This peril belongs to all Middle-Earth. They must decide now how to end it. The times of the Elves is over, my people are leaving these shores. Who will you look to when we've gone? The dwarves? They hide in their mountains, seeking riches, they care nothing for the trouble of others," Elrond continues bitterly, drawing your attention back to their conversation. "It is in men, that we must place our hope," Gandalf tells him. The Elf Lord all but snorts. "Men? Men are weak. The race of men is failing. Too much of their blood had been spilt. Its pride and dignity forgotten. It is because of men the Ring survives. I was there, Gandalf. I was there three thousand years ago when Isildur took the Ring. I was there the day the strength of men failed. I led Isildur into the heart of Mount Doom, where the ring was forged, the one place it could be destroyed. It should have ended that day, but evil was allowed to endure. Isildur kept the Ring. The line of kings is broken. There's no strength left in the world of men. They're scattered, divided, leaderless," he just about spits. You raise your eyebrows, impressed at the strength of his words.  "There is one who could unite them. One who could reclaim the throne of Gondor," Gandalf states. You nod knowingly: Strider. Or rather, Aragorn. You had been pestering him to just consider taking the throne of Gondor for literal decades, but he always gave you this look. You  "He turned from that path a long time ago. He has chosen exile," Elrond drawls, ending the conversation. You walk off before either of them can catch you listening in on their conversation, its contents turning over in your mind.

Your name is called out, pulling you out of your thoughts. You turn around and are met with Aragorn’s glowing figure. He had clearly been in the hands of a healer elf too. And had a bath. You’re incredibly relieved to see him safe and sound. But after your disagreement, you’re not so sure what to say. “Alice,” he greets, pokerfaced. You stomach churns. “Aragorn.” You lift your chin, looking him in the eye defiantly. “You left.” There is no judgement or accusation in his tone. He is simply stating a fact.  “I had to get Frodo the help he needed.” “I’m glad you did.” He takes a few steps forward and you sigh out in relief. You wrap your arms around his shoulders, hugging him hard. He chuckles and returns the embrace with just as much energy. Neither of you like it when you fight, and though it is rare, it is bound to happen once in a while with the stubborness you both share. You start walking side by side, no particular destination in mind. You are glad to be in each other’s company again. When you spend so much time with another person, you tend to take their presence for granted. Even a short period of distance can remind you how much you care for that person.  Aragorn touches your hair and shoulder.  “You look better than when I last saw you.” You scoff. “So do you. You should have seen me when I arrived here, I barely recognized myself in the mirror.”  “I am glad you made it out alive, I heard that you fought off the Wraiths. That is no small feat,” Aragorn praises. You duck your chin and knock your shoulder with his, feeling shy at the compliment. “I shall tell you one thing, I vow to never help another Hobbit. It is too much trouble. And you, surviving with only Merry, Pippin and Sam for company is no small feat either,” you joke. He chuckled, shaking his head.

You fall into a comfortable silence as you reach an opening in the hall. It’s dimly lit and smells like old books and humidity. You and Aragorn sit down on a bench, discussing your last few days in hushed tones. You start to tell him about the conversation you overheard previously but are interrupted by footsteps. You shut your mouth immediately, observing a light-brown-haired man step into the hallway. He doesn’t seem to notice either of you as he analyses the painting hanging on the wall opposite of where you were sitting. He walks over to a large stone you hadn’t noticed before. As he approaches it, you realize what lays atop the stone : the shards of Narsil. The man gasps quietly and he picks up the hilt and brandishes it.  “The blade that cut the Ring from Sauron’s hand,” he breathed. You tense up at his actions, wondering how he could dare touch, much less brandish such a piece of history. He runs his index along the blade and draws a drop of blood.  “Still sharp,” he whispers, licking the tip of his finger. Your lips curl in disdain.  Slowly, his head turns in your direction, finally sensing your presence. You have never been good at controlling your facial expressions, which tend to translate your exact feelings. Aragorn raises a brow at the man. 

Seeming embarassed, the man purses his lips and places the hilt back.  “No more than a broken heirloom.” The hilt slips off the stone and falls to the ground with a loud clatter. The man walks away.  “What a delightful man,” you scoff, picking up the blade and carefully placing it back in its rightful place. Aragorn shakes his head and places his hand on his heart. You turn to look at him and see Arwen walking towards the both of you. You send her a smile. “You have a visitor,” you speak to Aragorn, squeezing his shoulder before leaving the two of them. 

The next morning, the council takes place. Your usual clothes had been washed and returned early in the morning, along with your weapons. What the elves had failed to give you was the place in which the council was taking place. You roam through similar halls, trying to find the right place when the same young elleth from yesterday runs up to you. “My lady!” she cries. You stop in your tracks and turn around. “Oh, thanks the Valar! Could you help me find-“ “Yes, yes, follow me!” she orders hastily, running in the opposite direction of where you had been heading. You’re on her heels in a second. You finally reach the right room and you turn to thank her before she all but pushes you inside. You stagger for a second, thrown off your feet before you regain your balance. 

Men, Dwarves and Elves are sitting on wooden chairs in a large circle around a table. You spot Gandalf, Elrond and the Hobbits among them. Naturally, all eyes are on you. You spot Aragorn pinching the bridge of his nose, shaking his head slightly. You curse your luck. Noticing an empty seat between your companion and the elf you’d seen before, you walk over to it, head held high. Lord Elrond purses his lips but starts speaking.  "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it, you will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom." Wary looks are exchanged in the circle. You share a glance with Aragorn. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo." Elrond motions to the marble stand in the centre of the circle. Frodo stands from his seat next to Gandalf and places it in the middle of the table without a sound. The wizard smiles reassuringly at the young Hobbit as he walks back to his place. You follow his small figure with your gaze, a small smile on your lips. You truly do admire him. He catches your eye and shyly smiles back. Everyone but you, Aragorn and Gandalf leans forward, trying to get a better look at the small golden jewel.  "So it is true," Boromir, the man from the corridor, whispers. "Is it a gift," he declares, standing up, "a gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring?" he continues, circling the table slowly. "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, given the forces of Mordor pay by the blood of our people for your lands kept safe! Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy! Let us use it against him!" You are impressed by his ignorance of the matter and entitlement to speak about it. Strider, who you feel growing more and more aggravated by the second, finally blurts: "You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." You nod along to his words. "And what would a mere Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir sneers. Your blood boils at the tone of his voice. The elf that you had silently exchanged with before jumps to your Strider’s defence before you can: "This is no mere Ranger, this is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, you owe him your allegiance." Boromir’s shocked face brings you more pleasure than you would care to admit.

"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" Boromir raises a shocked eyebrow. "And heir to the throne of Gondor." Legolas continues, his jaw squared.  "Havo dad, Legolas, mellon nin," (Sit down, Legolas, my friend.) Strider asks softly. Legolas slowly sits down, but not before Boromir can sneer: "Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king." He sits down and glares at Strider. "Aragorn is right, we cannot use it." Gandalf ends the tense silence. "You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed." Elrond says. Gimli stands up: "What are we waiting for?" He grabs his axe and crashes it against the Ring. Shards of the wood and metal go flying everywhere, and if it were not for your Elven reflexes, you would have ended up with a shard of steel nailed between your eyes. The dwarf is thrown back onto the floor, but the Ring stays untouched. You can’t help but wander how and why these people who know so little about the Ring have been invited to decide what to do with it. "If you had bothered to do your research, Dwarf,” you spit, “you would know the Ring cannot be destroyed by any craft that we possess! It was made in the fires of Mount Doom and only there can it be destroyed!" Everyone sends you surprised stares. Gimli just about growls at you as he sits back down. Aragorn sends you an exasperated look. You ignore all of them, your jaw set. Elrond nods along to your words although he looks deeply irritated by your outburst. “One of you must do this,” the Elf Lord declares. Silence.

“One does not simply walk into Mordor,” Boromir stated the obvious, shaking his head. “Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the Great Eye is ever watchful. 'Tis a barren wasteland mixed with fire, ash and dust. Every breath breathed is poison fumed. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly." Legolas shoots up. “Have you heard nothing of what Lord Elrond just said? The Ring must be destroyed!” “And I suppose you think you’re the one to do it?” Gimli asks gruffly, standing up as well. “Anyone would be better than a dwarf,” you sneer, glaring dagger at him. “And if we fail? What then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?” Boromir asks, alarmed. “I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf! Never trust an elf!” Gimli cries, shaking his axe. You shoot up along with all the other elves present, backing Legolas. You stand next to him, and it is only then that you realize how tall he is compared to you. You head just reaches his shoulder. Shaking your head to rid yourself of this distraction, you turn your attention to the group of dwarves standing in front of you, following Gimli’s lead. They start screaming and complaning about elves. Legolas holds an arm our to keep the other elves from getting too involved. He turns to you. “Pay no heed to-“ He is cut off by Gimli spitting out something about ‘stupid, shit-eating, pointy ears’. You take a menacing step forward, towering over the dwarf as you start retorting. Before you can get any words out, a force wraps itself around your waist and gently but firmly pulls you backwards. You hastily turn around, about to berate whoever it is trying to refrain you from assaulting a dwarf, but find yourself flsuh against the Prince of Mirkwood’s chest. Your cheeks warm as you look up at him, words dying in your throat.

“I will take it!” A small voice interrupts the general chaos. Everyone stops talking and turns to the young Hobbit. “I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way...” he trails off, looking at the faces around him. There is silence for a short moment before Gandalf speaks. “I will help you with this burden as long as it is yours to bear.” Strider stands from his seat: “If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will.” He kneels before Frodo. “You have my sword.” You curse. You’d vowed never to help a Hobbit again. You’d been looking forward to going back to your routine with Strider. You decide you can’t let him do this alone. He is like a brother to you. You would not let him get killed by doing something as foolish as saving Middle-Earth without you. You step away from Legolas and face Frodo with a sad smile.  “You have my sword too, little one.” Frodo returns your smile as you move to stand next to Aragorn. You share a meaningful look. “And you have my bow,” Legolas speaks, joining your side without meeting your eye.  “And my axe,” grunts Gimli. You muffle a sigh and share a disgruntled look with Legolas that has you biting back a smile.  “You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done.” Boromir joins your side as well. 

A scream is heard from behind the bushes: "Mister Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" Sam crosses his arms over his chest, trying to look tough after jumping out of nowhere. You let out a small giggle. "No, indeed, it is highly impossible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not," Elrond says firmly, though a small smile graces his lips. "Oi! We're coming too!" Merry and Pippin appear out of behind the bushes and run to Frodo.  "You'll have to send us over tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry continues. "Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of- mission... quest... thing!" Pippin adds. You snort.  "Well that rules you out, Pip," Merry teases. Lord Elrond looks at all of you. "Ten companions... So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring." The words hang heavily in the air for those of you involved. Merry and Pippin exchange excited looks.  "Great! Where are we going?" Pippin asks.

As the rest of the coucnil begins to leave and wish good luck to the Fellowship, whose name you find slightly sexist, Boromir approaches Gandalf. He makes no effort to keep his voice down as he asks: “Are you certain we want her on our journey? She is a woman, after all, she might slow us down. She probably fights like a woman too. We don’t need a liability.” You can’t believe the blatant misogyny spewing from his ignorant mouth. Marching up to him, you roughly grab him by the collar and pull him down to your level with force. “Meet me outside in five minutes. We’ll see who slows us down then, you twat,” you snarl before pushing him backwards. You turn and walk off before you can see the shocked look on his face. Strider walks up to him, an unimpressed look on his face. “I hope you’re ready. She’s unstoppable when she’s angry.”

You hear light footsteps trailing behind you as you make your way to the training ground. “My lady, are you certain of this?” “Absolutely.”  “That man has been trained in battle for the last ten years of his life. Are you not aware of who he is?” “Frankly, I could not care less of who he is. He thinks that because I am a woman, I am weaker than him. Not only is that sexist, it is wrong. I plan on showing him just how wrong he is.” You finally reach the training ground. “I’ve trained my entire life. Do you not know who I am? They do not call Ira without reason,” you add hotly, unsheathing your sword. Realization dawns on Legolas as he stands to the side of the training ground, attentively watching you warm up. The entire Fellowship and Elrond follow you. They stand in a circle, making bets. Bets made are: - Strider: Ira (“I trained with her. I know she can beat him easily.”) - Legolas: Ira (“She seems very confident. I trust Aragorn and I have heard the legends.”) - Gimli: Boromir (“I have seen him fight. I have not seen the fiery little lady fight yet.”) - Pippin: Ira (“She looks very scary when she’s angry. And you saw how she handled those Riders, didn’t you?”) - Merry: Ira (“She did handle those Riders quite well...”) - Frodo: Ira (“She save my life.”) - Sam: Boromir (“I don’t know, he looks pretty confident.”) - Gandalf: no bet (“I shall not waste my money on this. But Ira will win.”) - Elrond: no bet (“I will take no part in these infantine games.”)

The Fellowship stands to one side of the arena, watching the two of you closely and hoping whoever they bet on wins. “You can still back out, my lady,” offers Boromir, with a superior air. “Are you saying you’re scared to fight a woman, Boromir?” you taunt. Glowering at you, he shakes his head. He unsheathes his sword and aims a jab at your stomach. You easily dodge. He takes another swing but you dodge again. While his balance is off, you kick him in the stomach. The crowd groans in sympathy for your victim as he topples over. You give him the time to get back up, an amused smirk playing at your lips. He grunts and slashes at you again. You hit the inside of his elbow with the flat of your blade, causing him to drop his sword. You grin and step backwards, as is letting him pick his blade up. He seems surprised by takes the chance anyway. You're not that kind. When the tip of his fingers touch the weapon, you kick it away. He looks up at you from the ground and you loosely point the tip of your sword at his neck.  Thinking you don’t know that you are holding your blade wrong, he easily kicks it out of your hand and scrambles back to his feet. He lunges for his sword but you tackle him before he can reach it. Pinning him down with a knee on his throat and the other on his abdomen, you hold his wrists above his head with one hand. With the other, you’re pressing your dagger against the skin of his cheek. “This is me holding back,” you whisper in his ear. “Do you still think that because I am a woman I will slow you down?” He hastily shakes his head, a choked sound coming from his throat. You nod and get off him before standing up and dusting yourself off. He massages his throat, looking up at you with surprise and respect etched onto his features. You offer him your hand, which he gratefully takes before you pull him to his feet.

“You wish you could fight like a girl.”

[balanceoflightanddark]

"Nonetheless, ease and peace had left this people still curiously tough. They were, if it came to it, difficult to daunt or to kill; and they were, perhaps, so unwearyingly fond of good things not least because they could, when put to it, do without them, and could survive rough handling by grief, foe, or weather in a way that astonished those who did not know them well and looked no further than their bellies and their well-fed faces. Though slow to quarrel, and for sport killing nothing that lived, they were doughty at bay, and at need could still handle arms. They shot well with the bow, for they were keen-eyed and sure at the mark. Not only with bows and arrows. If any Hobbit stooped for a stone, it was well to get quickly under cover, as all trespassing beasts knew well."

-J.R.R Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Prologue 1. Concerning Hobbits pgs. 5-6

This paragraph fascinates me for a few reasons. Often in fiction, a long period of peace is often used for explaining why people are so slow to react to a rising threat. That prolonged prosperity dulled the senses and breeds complacency. Indeed, Frodo himself does express some exasperation and almost wishes for a dragon or some evil force to invade the Shire to shake the Hobbits out of their complacency.

Which to some level is true here. It's a known fact that Hobbits like to keep out of the affairs of the "big people". Yet at the same time, even if they want to keep themselves isolated, it doesn't mean the world won't march into the Farthings regardless of what they want. After all, there wasn't a whole lot stopping the Nazgul or Saruman from entering their borders.

Yet at the same time, the paragraph does illustrate that just because Hobbits have grown accustomed to peace, doesn't mean they're pushovers. Consider Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took and the Battle of the Green Fields. When a goblin warband led by Golfimbel descended from the Misty Mountains and broke through the Dunedain's encirclement to invade the Shire, Bullroarer charged straight at the goblin ranks. He then proceeded to knock Golfimbel's head off and shatter the morale of the warband.

The story was repeated in the Battle of Bywater when Saruman decided to set up a criminal ring in the Shire after his defeat at the hands of the Ents. Long story short, once Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin returned, the Hobbits proceeded to raise up a sizeable force and effectively kicked Saruman out of the Shire. Mind you, Saruman used to be the greatest wizard in Middle-Earth, and the Hobbits led to his final defeat. That's two accounts of invasions of the Shire going badly for the invaders.

And that's not even getting into the adventures that Bilbo, Frodo, and his friends got into during the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings respectively. Bilbo was able to save the asses of Thorin's Company multiple times, discovered Smaug's weakpoint and indirectly relayed that to Bard via the Thrush, and risked life and limb to forestall a battle between the Dwarves, Men, and Elves till Bolg showed up. Frodo and Sam were ultimately able to destroy the One Ring, while Merry and Pippin were able to rouse the Ents into attacking Isengard. That's not even counting Merry being partially responsible for the death of the infamous Witch King.

So even though the Hobbits were accustomed to peace, they weren't complacent enough to be pushovers when presented with a threat. Personally, I think part of the reason this is so is because the Hobbits never forgot the basic necessities of a good life: a comfortable home, friends, family, and basically everything needed to live simply. They never indulged too much in luxury to become lax like Smaug, nor constantly scheming to take more power like Sauron or Saruman. They were happy with living simple on the farm.

It turns out, that's what gave them their edge. They were down to earth, so they had a good sense of morality thanks to living humble lives. Safeguarding their farms from wild animals meant that some Hobbits could recognize a threat when they realized it. And their sense of community and friendship got them through some of their hardest trials, like when Frodo almost succumbed to the Ring and Sam never gave up on him. Their sense of community and toughing it out through the hardest times such as during the Long Winter when Gandalf began to really warm up to the Hobbits, seeing the value and courage in them.

So while they're not the flashiest or most "badass" of Middle-Earth's free peoples, the Hobbits are some of the hardiest and "purest" races. And how ironically, peace never dulled their senses but served to toughen them up for the dark times ahead.

[trahald-the-burrower]

You know how Smeagol often behaves like a frightened, lonely, and playful child? He’s desperate for Frodo’s attention, obsessively clings to the Ring, and is so emotionally vulnerable. What do you make of this childlike mentality?

His being frightened and lonely has less to do with personality and more to do with circumstance. Frightened because he's been tortured, and there are dangerous people/creatures about, and lonely because he'd been alone for over 500 years and the "friends" he did end up making after leaving his cave (Shelob) were not genuine friends. (This applies to both books and Jackson's films)

But the times he's playful are usually the times he remembers his youth, and the "young Sméagol" side of his personality emerges -- basically who he was before the Ring. I'd say the playfulness is a personality trait. In Jackson's Return of the King, young Smèagol is very excitable ("pull it in, go on go on go on, pull it in!"), and we also know that he used to play and enjoy riddle games, according the events of The Hobbit. In the book (Two Towers), when Sméagol comes upon the water and has been reminded of his youth and of friendship, he chuckles and plays in the water and sings a little song.

So the playfulness can be said to be a part of his (Sméagol's) personality, while the fear and loneliness is more circumstantial. I don't think his being afraid and being lonely is child-like behavior, I think even the most mature person would be afraid/lonely if they had the same experience.

Being desperate for Frodo's attention -- he's gone so long without positive attention, he craves it, and Frodo's shown that he will give it. I consider this a response to abuse/loneliness, and I think a lot of people who went without kindness for as long as he did would be desperate for that kind of attention once realizing they could get it. I don't see this as a child-like personality trait, either -- more circumstantial.

His clinging obsessively to the Ring -- mostly because the Ring demands it. I do think he's BEYOND obsessed because he's always liked pretty things (implied in FOTR/Hobbit books and Jackson's ROTK) and it was his only companion for 500 years. I see this as mostly circumstantial, as well, though -- even the liking pretty things when he was younger I think began because of his rich Grandmother. I think it was taught, because she had treasures, likely put importance on those treasures, and so he began to covet them, and want treasures of his own. Either way, I don't really see this as a result of being child-like, either.

Being emotionally vulnerable -- being emotionally vulnerable is a response to trauma, but that can also be a personality trait. Sméagol is an emotional character even when he's feeling youthful; he is definitely controlled by his emotions. Perhaps because when he was younger, he wasn't taught how to deal with them, and then he was banished so really never had the chance to learn. That's me looking for reasons, honestly some people are just more emotional than others. Could be upbringing, could be star alignment, could be genetics.

I'll admit most of what you listed doesn't feel like examples of how he's child-like. But you're right that Sméagol is child-like. His playfulness, yes -- that's one trait often attributed to the young-hearted. He's also excitable, inquisitive, and while he is very clever, also does have a sort of naivity. He has this innocence about him.

If you were to ask me, "why does Sméagol act like a child?", I'd say this:

1. He behaves little and cute because he wants to be babied, "Oh what a good little Sméagol you are!" -- he wants that kind of affection after having been neglected and mistreated for so long.

2. He doesn't want to seem threatening (fear response). "Oh I couldn't possibly hurt this poor little innocent creature!"

3. He was young when he found the Ring (33 is coming of age for Hobbits so that would be the equivalent of 18 for us) and was banished soon after, so perhaps sort of got stuck in the mentality of a younger Hobbit.

4. He's just like that. Could be star alignment (he was born in Spring/Summer under the same stars we have, I've put him as a Gemini, who are actually known to be curious and child-like), could be genetics, could be that he was born with a mental disorder (he has many Autistic traits).