18. Hardbottle
She's been shedding weight since the lockholes: little by little laying things down, 'til there's naught but her and her ghosts that linger in the halls.
"Where will you go?" Frodo asks, when she tells him she cannot remain.
"Home," she replies.
"Pippin goes to Tuckborough tomorrow, he'll hire a messenger – "
"I meant Hardbottle, Frodo."
Frodo stares. "Hardbottle?" She nods. "You're sure, cousin?"
"Yes."
For she'd rattle about so in Sackville, and of late, she's begun to think there're living ghosts to see to – birthplace ballast to unlade, to remake as something better. Yes, she will to Hardbottle, without regret.
Notes:
1. Day 21: Card: The Star
2. I've fudged the timing of Lobelia's return to Hardbottle somewhat. RoTK says she wouldn't return to Bag End, but c'mon - old lady, imprisoned in the dark? It makes sense to stop at a welcoming relative's house and recover a little more before making the journey back to Hardbottle.
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.
