Home | Literature Index | Movies & Broadway Index | Television Index | Music Index | Miscellaneous Index | Submit Your Own
Froda trembled under the flat uncompromising stare of
the Ranger, her plump hobbit cheeks red with embarrassment
as the tall wiry woman continued. "Have you no common
sense, then, that it would not occur to you that in
a place like this 'inn'..." -- she encompassed the Prancing
Pony with a contemptuous gesture -- "...they assume
that an unaccompanied cherubic female with no catenas
upon her arm is here to offer herself to the Nazgul?
If I hadn't whisked you out of there, you could be lying
across a saddle as property of one such."
Froda's lip pulled back in revulsion, "I'd rather mate
with a banshee." She continued, "I did not know what
else to do. I was told by Gwyndælf the Grey to meet
her here, and yet I do not know where she is. And as
the proverb goes, When horses are scarce and one
must ride, one may find that one saddles a pig"
"I see", replied the flat-chested emmasca warrior
in a more gentle tone. "You are accustomed to a safe
life in your protected little hobbit shire. Gwyndælf
is of course known to me as a wise and powerful sorceress;
but perhaps she forgets that maidens in our land are
not taught to rely upon themselves and take action if
action is taken against them."
"I'm not exactly a maiden", demurred the plump little
Froda. "True, I'd rather be cavorting at a wild Shire
party beneath the four moons than carrying a knife,
but..."
"...but you believe yourself no mere damsel. This is
good. Aldones grant it so. But if you are already to
be considered a shame and a scandal to womanhood, you
are best off claiming it in a way that will be of help
to you. Gwyndælf should have given you more than a safe-conduct
and a fare-thee-well. You should have been fostered
to a Free Amazon if you are to act as one, and Gwyndælf
has not the time to babysit you, it would appear."
"Free Amazon? I've heard of them...but I thought them
an unnatural clan of women who hate men. I've rather
a fondness for them myself, actually."
"No, although there are amongst us many women who have
no love for men, and considering what many of them have
experienced at the hands of men I fault them not for
that. However, while it is true that the Oath includes
an obligation to give yoruself to no man except in your
own time and season of your own free will an desire,
and not to earn your bread as an object of some man's
lust, there are many in the guild who have freemates,
and there are those who see the pleasures of men's company
at midsummer's just as do the young village men."
"Well then, if it will provide me with the training
and skills to survive out here in these dark roads and
lawless shelters, perhaps I should seek such fostering.
But how would I go about it?"
"You must go to the guild-house. There is one at Rivendell."
"Rivendell! I have had...well, almost dreams
about Rivendell, you might say. I do get these hunches
sometimes, you see..."
"Hunches? Hmm, let me take a closer look at your hair.
Yes, I do see some red in it, which brings to it a striking
appearance with that blue clasp that I see you wearing.
It will almost be a shame to cut it off. Ah well..."
Froda fingered the clasp with the odd blue stone in
it. "Yes, this was given me by my grandmother. Sometimes
when I look into it, I can feel inside of things, almost
as if the very rock of a paving stone or the iron of
a buckle were made of grains of sand, and sometimes
I feel as if I could move them if I concentrated on
them."
"Well, perhaps instead of going immediately to Rivendell,
you should go visit the outlaw mistress of the forbidden
tower, Tomasina Bombadil. We need to have you checked
for laran."