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Feb. 6th, 2005 03:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rabidsamfanMore:
Bergil missed having Pippin there once the youngest of the hobbits put on his armor and left for the palace, because he felt a lot more shy alone. He helped the Ringbearer as best he could, but it was different than helping Pippin with his bath. Dryer especially. Frodo enjoyed the water and soap as much as Pippin did, but he did it a lot more quietly, raising cupped hands to let the water trickle over his face and on down with closed eyes and a small smile that didn't need or want comments from Bergil.
Bergil shifted the heavy bucket of hair-washing water to his other hip and tried to yawn quietly.
"Have you been awake all night, lad?" The question startled him, and warm water sloshed over his side, as he tried to recover himself and not bow reflextively.
"Uhm. No. No, only half. Sir." Bergil blushed. "I mean, I came on duty at midnight, Ringbearer."
"And then you got told off to keep an eye on Sam and me all morning," Frodo observed, not entirely happily.
"I don't mind," Bergil hastened to correct the idea that he wasn't willing to stay. "It's an honor. And I like Sam."
That brought the smile back to the Ringbearer's eyes. "Do you?"
Bergil nodded and came closer to the tub, feeling a little less nervous now. "Yes. He's nice. And he didn't get mad at me when I forgot he was a grown up and took him to the shortcut instead of the right way around." He shifted the bucket again and chewed on his lip, remembering suddenly. "Except I'm still not exactly sure what to call him."
Frodo looked a question at him, so Bergil explained. "Well, Pippin is a 'Sir' – I mean Sir Peregrin is, because he's a knight, and Sir Meriadoc is knighted too so he's a 'sir' as well. And you're the Ringbearer so you're easy, but I asked the king if it was Master Sam or Lord Sam and I don't think it was Lord Sam because he laughed and so did Elladan about that, but they didn't say if it was Master Sam after all." Bergil sighed. "Grownups are complicated," he explained. "And Master Tollovand wants us to not make mistakes and disgrace him, but I think I already did."
Frodo made himself very busy with the washcloth as he asked. "How old are you, Bergil?"
"I have ten years," Bergil said. "But I will have eleven after the end of summer." He tried to make himself a little taller.
Frodo looked up from his well-soaped washcloth, smiling now, "Well, grownups may be complicated, but children are easy. I think you should call him 'Mister Sam', or 'Sir', for though he is not a lord, he too bore the Ring for a time." There was a glint of private humor in his friendly blue eyes. "And as I do not wish to be called 'Ringbearer' all the day and night, you may also call me 'Sir', or 'Mister Frodo', as Sam does while you are serving me."
next
Bergil missed having Pippin there once the youngest of the hobbits put on his armor and left for the palace, because he felt a lot more shy alone. He helped the Ringbearer as best he could, but it was different than helping Pippin with his bath. Dryer especially. Frodo enjoyed the water and soap as much as Pippin did, but he did it a lot more quietly, raising cupped hands to let the water trickle over his face and on down with closed eyes and a small smile that didn't need or want comments from Bergil.
Bergil shifted the heavy bucket of hair-washing water to his other hip and tried to yawn quietly.
"Have you been awake all night, lad?" The question startled him, and warm water sloshed over his side, as he tried to recover himself and not bow reflextively.
"Uhm. No. No, only half. Sir." Bergil blushed. "I mean, I came on duty at midnight, Ringbearer."
"And then you got told off to keep an eye on Sam and me all morning," Frodo observed, not entirely happily.
"I don't mind," Bergil hastened to correct the idea that he wasn't willing to stay. "It's an honor. And I like Sam."
That brought the smile back to the Ringbearer's eyes. "Do you?"
Bergil nodded and came closer to the tub, feeling a little less nervous now. "Yes. He's nice. And he didn't get mad at me when I forgot he was a grown up and took him to the shortcut instead of the right way around." He shifted the bucket again and chewed on his lip, remembering suddenly. "Except I'm still not exactly sure what to call him."
Frodo looked a question at him, so Bergil explained. "Well, Pippin is a 'Sir' – I mean Sir Peregrin is, because he's a knight, and Sir Meriadoc is knighted too so he's a 'sir' as well. And you're the Ringbearer so you're easy, but I asked the king if it was Master Sam or Lord Sam and I don't think it was Lord Sam because he laughed and so did Elladan about that, but they didn't say if it was Master Sam after all." Bergil sighed. "Grownups are complicated," he explained. "And Master Tollovand wants us to not make mistakes and disgrace him, but I think I already did."
Frodo made himself very busy with the washcloth as he asked. "How old are you, Bergil?"
"I have ten years," Bergil said. "But I will have eleven after the end of summer." He tried to make himself a little taller.
Frodo looked up from his well-soaped washcloth, smiling now, "Well, grownups may be complicated, but children are easy. I think you should call him 'Mister Sam', or 'Sir', for though he is not a lord, he too bore the Ring for a time." There was a glint of private humor in his friendly blue eyes. "And as I do not wish to be called 'Ringbearer' all the day and night, you may also call me 'Sir', or 'Mister Frodo', as Sam does while you are serving me."
next
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(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-06 08:32 pm (UTC)I think it's so cute the way Bergil is perfectly straightforward in explaining himself. And Frodo's observation "grown-ups may be complicated, but children are easy." LOL! This is delightful.
More! More!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-06 08:34 pm (UTC)LOL! Ain't that the truth. ... WHOOPS! Wrong fic! :o
Seriously, this is adorable.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-06 09:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-06 09:27 pm (UTC)My goodness, what a wonderful father he could have been. And in front of my inner eye I saw him pouring the water over his face, perhaps remembering the tormenting dryness of Mordor and a long passed thirst, and that image took my breath away.
Extraordinary, as always.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-06 09:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-07 01:16 am (UTC)Also the little things, like Frodo being "very busy" with his flannel as he asked how old Bergil was.
So glad you updated.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-07 02:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-07 02:41 am (UTC)They're not long enough to deserve the name chapter though...
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-07 09:51 am (UTC)There are so many touching things about this chapter! "And Master Tollovand wants us to not make mistakes and disgrace him, but I think I already did."
Poor, perplexed Bergil, trying SO hard to do the right thing in a terribly new and confusing situation.
And I *LOVE* your Frodo.
::sighs happily::
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-07 07:51 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-07 10:02 pm (UTC)