sophinisba: Gwen looking sexy from Merlin season 2 promo pics (frodo thinking by alchemilla)
Sophinisba Solis ([personal profile] sophinisba) wrote2008-01-04 12:20 am

LotR ficlet: Summit, Frodo and Aragorn

[livejournal.com profile] claudia603 has written ficlets for a whole lot of us this week. The one she did for me is Into Madness, a delicious bit of AU Faramir doing bad things to Frodo for his own good. Mmmmmm. Let's have some Frodo and Aragorn ficlets for [livejournal.com profile] claudia603. [livejournal.com profile] baranduin wrote a lovely one here in a comment in C's journal. Here's one from me.

Title: Summit
Starring: Frodo and Strider
Rating: G
Words: 744



Frodo had to scramble up the hill, even breaking into a run at times, in order to catch up and keep pace with their guide, who had taken off in a great huff of manliness, leaving the four hobbits behind. Merry's words, as he reassured Pippin that he'd done nothing wrong, were kind, but he didn't even attempt to keep the anger out of his tone. And Sam offering to take more of the load in his own pack sounded more helpless than helpful.

"Strider!" Frodo called once he was out of earshot of the others, and he nearly tripped when the tall man stopped short and turned around to stare at him. He needed to take a breath and a moment to remember what he was going to say. "Strider, I wish you wouldn't scold Pippin like that."

"And I wish he would carry his own weight rather than drag the rest of you hobbits down."

"He's young," said Frodo. "He's not used to journeying this hard."

In truth, this last could easily be said of all four of them. They'd been marching all day on very little food, and Frodo's legs felt about ready to give out. To his dismay, Strider, who seemed to have lost patience with Frodo once again (he never seemed to begin with much), began striding fearlessly forward again, forcing Frodo to chase after him.

"Then perhaps he should not have come on this journey with you."

"But he –"

"Perhaps you, as the leader, should not have allowed your little cousins to tag along."

"They're not my..." And Frodo, feeling rather desperate but also very annoyed, decided that he was allowed to lose his patience from time to time as well. "Listen," he said loudly, and stopped where he stood on the path at the top of the hill, and crossed his arms so that Aragorn would have to stop and turn around in order to hear him. And, to Frodo's great satisfaction, he did so. "Just because we're not as big and tall as you doesn't mean we're not brave or clever or capable of doing great things."

"I do not ask for great things, master hobbit, only that you travel like travellers and be aware of the danger that you face."

"We're all well aware of the danger, thank you very much."

"Then you would do well to –"

"Show it? To frown all the time, and not to say more than two words together for fear they might put someone in a better mood? If you ask us to do that you're asking us not to be hobbits anymore."

Strider, typically, grimaced. "It was not my choice to make this journey with four Halflings."

Frodo found it remarkably easy to glower back at him. "Nor was it our wish to leave the Shire in the first place, let alone be robbed of our ponies and chased out of Bree in the company of the most disagreeable of Men." Strider still stared at him, still stood tall and strong and taller, even though he stood on slightly lower ground. Still, something in his face seemed to falter for a moment, and Frodo softened his own face and voice as he went on. "Please, Strider, do not hold it against us if we try to cheer each other rather than shouting. The next time you're angry at Pippin, speak to me, all right? I'll make him understand what you need without threatening to send him home."

"We must move with haste. I will not always have time to relay my orders through a messenger."

"Of course," said Frodo, "I don't know how long all of us will be traveling together, but I understand you'll need to speak to everyone directly…"

"Good, you –"

"And I also know that you mustn't go on giving us orders as you've been doing," Frodo said firmly. "You'll learn from me how you can do a better job of leading us."

"What's this you're saying, Frodo?" said Merry, coming up the hill with Pippin and Sam behind him. "Are you taking over again? Will there be second breakfasts from now on?"

Pippin still looked embarrassed and did not even smile at the joke. Frodo took his hand. "No," he said to all of them, "but there will be second chances." Then he turned to Strider and asked, "Where do we go from here?"

Strider, saying nothing, turned and led the way.

[identity profile] illyria-novia.livejournal.com 2008-01-04 11:11 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, lovely! I love how Frodo can at the same be firm and yet understanding. I like this exchange especially:

"I do not ask for great things, master hobbit, only that you travel like travellers and be aware of the danger that you face."

"We're all well aware of the danger, thank you very much."

"Then you would do well to –"

"Show it? To frown all the time, and not to say more than two words together for fear they might put someone in a better mood? If you ask us to do that you're asking us not to be hobbits anymore."

Strider, typically, grimaced. "It was not my choice to make this journey with four Halflings."

Frodo found it remarkably easy to glower back at him. "Nor was it our wish to leave the Shire in the first place, let alone be robbed of our ponies and chased out of Bree in the company of the most disagreeable of Men."


Heee! I like surly!Strider mellowing out a bit, and I lovelovelove this part

"Are you taking over again? Will there be second breakfasts from now on?"

Pippin still looked embarrassed and did not even smile at the joke. Frodo took his hand. "No," he said to all of them, "but there will be second chances."


Thanks so much for this! So much goodness in so few paragraphs. :D
shirebound: (Default)

[personal profile] shirebound 2008-01-04 12:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Will there be second breakfasts from now on?"

Pippin still looked embarrassed and did not even smile at the joke. Frodo took his hand. "No," he said to all of them, "but there will be second chances."


Frodo the wise, Frodo the diplomat, Frodo the elder cousin, Frodo putting Strider in his place! Love it.
ext_28878: (Default)

[identity profile] claudia603.livejournal.com 2008-01-04 12:45 pm (UTC)(link)
omg!!!! Thank you!!! STERN!Strider all over the place here! *happy sigh* And I'm really happy that he did not get fluffy in the end. He softened a little but he was still rather surly and stern! And Frodo was so brave and leader-like and defended his cousins! Awesome! :-))))) Than kyou so much! Really made my morning so far! ♥
slightlytookish: John and Gale looking at each other against a blue background (Default)

[personal profile] slightlytookish 2008-01-04 01:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Eeee, I like a strong!Frodo!! This is great!

I really loved this bit:

"What's this you're saying, Frodo?" said Merry, coming up the hill with Pippin and Sam behind him. "Are you taking over again? Will there be second breakfasts from now on?"

:D
dreamflower: gandalf at bag end (Default)

[personal profile] dreamflower 2008-01-04 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, I do love to see Frodo reaming someone else out for mistreating his cousins! *grin*

[identity profile] mews1945.livejournal.com 2008-01-04 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
This is the strong, wise Frodo we all love, I think. I loved his standing up to Aragorn for his cousins' sake.

[identity profile] mariole.livejournal.com 2008-01-04 05:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, this is great! Frodo giving Strider a dressing down-- absolutely love it! Wonderful job.

[identity profile] baranduin.livejournal.com 2008-01-04 05:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, this was great! I was going to point out the first paragraph but then I read the rest of it. Grumpy Strider! Yay!

[identity profile] frolijah-fan-54.livejournal.com 2008-01-05 04:18 am (UTC)(link)
This is great!! I love how Frodo is taking care of Pippin and the others and standing up to Strider!! Strider may be stern - but Frodo can take him in a verbal duel!! And I loved the "second chances" at the end - Frodo's mercy shining through. I loved this!!

[identity profile] aliensouldream.livejournal.com 2008-01-05 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Second chances! I loved this, very realistic and hobbit-like. Now how about the rest of the journey? :-)

[identity profile] periantari.livejournal.com 2008-01-06 04:19 am (UTC)(link)
I like your Frodo in standing up to Aragorn. This is such an excellent tension-filled scene ...I wish for more. :)

[identity profile] lilybaggins.livejournal.com 2008-01-09 08:11 am (UTC)(link)
Ooo, that's some good Stern!Aragorn you've got there... *salivates* And that saucy Frodo . . .

[identity profile] lovethosehobbit.livejournal.com 2008-01-25 06:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooooo...a stubborn, determined hobbit. What's not to love?