[Orual]

Slightly shaken from the run-in Farmer Maggot's dog, Sam was doubly surprised and delighted when Tom Bombadil and Goldberry arrived. He looked down and saw little Pippin, who was tugging at the leg of his father's slacks. He scooped up the four-year-old, who started waving frantically. To Pippin-lad's joy--and scarcely less to Sam's--Tom waved back cheerfully. The boy beamed and hugged his father's neck tightly, overjoyed, and shrieked in excitement.

When the dance started, Sam extended a hand to Rose, who declined, taking a seat by the fireplace. She looked tired, and stroked the top of Hamfast's curly head--he was leaning by her chair. She waved him on, and so he rejoined the circle and began to dance, taking Rosie-lass by the waist and spinning her. The music was infectious, and Sam got caught up in it, forgetting all his problems and the worries that he had brought into the party, and simply danced.

When the dance ended, Sam bowed and kissed Rosie-lass's hand, and she laughed. Sam looked around and saw that Frodo had drifted off, and all of his gloom came back to him. He must have slumped visibly, for Merry walked up to him.

"Sam, what's wrong?" Merry asked, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I thought you'd be happy, with all that's going on."

Sam smiled weakly and put his hand on top of Merry's. "I thought so, too. It's just...strange, is all. We've all changed so much in twelve years, Merry--but you, and me, and Pippin, we've changed together. Frodo changed apart from us, in the West, in a totally different way. I don't know him anymore."

Merry frowned, and squeezed Sam's shoulder sympathetically. "You'll get a chance to talk to him, alone, and you'll catch up. Just don't let this chance go by, or you'll always regret it."

Sam looked up sharply at Merry, but the Master of Buckland just smiled cheerily and went over to talk with some of the other guests, leaving Sam alone to think on Merry's words.

[ March 02, 2003: Message edited by: Orual ]