The rest of Frodo’s afternoon was taken up in research. Bilbo assigned him the task of looking up all references to Annuminas or Lake Evendim in the history books and maps in the library. Frodo was to gather any and all information about the layout of the land, the history of who had lived there throughout the ages, why it was abandoned, and any other information he might think as being useful for their trip.

Meanwhile, Bilbo went to Hobbiton to purchase supplies. Because he kept a well-stocked second larder full of dried and cured foodstuffs ready for an emergency or a trip, he was actually ready to start their journey as soon as they pleased. However, since this was an exploratory expedition and not a simple business trip. He decided he would need a few extra items which could only be obtained in town.

“Frodo. I am going to have dinner in Hobbiton tonight,” Bilbo said as he slung his empty backpack into position. “Mister Gamgee and I are having drinks at the Green Dragon Inn. I don’t want to make two separate trips to and from Hobbiton this afternoon. You are more than welcome to come down and join us there after your research is done. My cousin Sigismond will be there too.”

“No thank you, Uncle Bilbo,” Frodo shook his head. “I would rather not have to face up to Mister Gamgee twice in one day. I’ll stay here and do some packing after I’m through with the books.”

“All right,” Bilbo said as he headed off towards town. “Make sure you leave a lantern on for me.”

Frodo returned to the library. The map of the Shire and northern environs was still atop Bilbo’s roll top desk. Frodo sat down and stared at the map. Lake Evendim held the clue. There must have been a reason to build a city that far north next to a lake. Why would anyone want to live there? Looking at the map, Frodo tried to duplicate the reasoning behind having a royal city up in that region of Middle Earth.

To the northeast of the lake was the North Downs and the second royal city the Kings of Arnor called Fornost. But Beyond them was the ancient citadel of the Witch King in the Mountains of Angmar. Desolate, harsh, cold lands to the north of the Lake. The only things which lived in that region were wolves and fell beasts of winter. The forbidding ice fields of the north effectively provided a defensive shield for the region. To the south of the lake was the Shire. But before the arrival of hobbits the land was claimed by Men as part of the Kingdom of Arnor, even though Men did not actually live in the area.

Frodo searched through the dusty books and maps looking for clues. In one ancient collection of stories he found a reference to Nenuial in Emyn Uial. The book was in Sindarian, so it took him a bit of concentration to translate the text as he read. But he eventually found that Annuminas and its surrounding lands were not originally settle by Men at all, but by the Elves. And not the native Grey-elves or Green-elves of Middle Earth, but also by the Noldor. Nenuial was the Elvish name for Lake Evendim given by a great Noldorian Elf Queen named Galadriel and her new husband, Celeborn. At the end of the First Age they had established an Elvish realm called Eriador and had built a dwelling by Nenuial in anticipation of the birth of their first child. Eriador was later abandoned in favor of establishing another realm closer to the southern edges of Mirkwood and a pass in the Misty Mountains. The book mentioned that grey-eyed Men from the West took over the Nenuial settlement.

Frodo stopped. Grey-eyed Men from the West. There was not much west of Lake Evendim on the map, and no settlements of Men that Frodo could find. Just the Mithlond River which bisected the long Ered Luin mountain range of the dwarves, and the long-established Elvish harbor of the Grey Havens at the mouth of the Gulf of Luin. They all bordered the Sea. The sea … Men from the West. Maybe the text was referring to Men from the Sea?

Frodo began to see the puzzle laid out before him through the map of time. He knew that the Kings of Men, or Numenorians, had come to Middle Earth during the Second Age at the pleading for assistance by the great Elf lords in heir battles with the Shadow of the East. The Numenorians had responded, bringing Men and supplies from the great island of Numenor in the Western Seas, which had later been swallowed up. Frodo had always believed that the Numenorians had landed in the southern lands of Middle Earth. But now it was clear that some had landed at the Grey Havens. Numenorians in the Shire!

Frodo was so engrossed in his reading that he didn’t hear the faint knock on the door. His thoughts were interrupted by a small voice coming from outside the library window.

“Mister Frodo? Are you there?”

Frodo put down the book and went to the open window. “Hello?” He hadn’t noticed that the sun had set either. The last rays of the sun illumined the window and the colorful flowerbed in front.

Out from behind the zinnias and snapdragons stepped Sam. He was holding something behind his back. “Me Da’s gone into town, and me Mum said I should bring ya this, Mister Frodo,” Sam shyly said, smiling. He brought out one of Mrs. Gamgee’s homemade beef and mushroom pies.

“Bless you, Sam!” Frodo smiled. “I forgot to have dinner! How does your mother know these things?”

“I dunno,” Sam said.

“Come in the back door,” Frodo called as he went into the kitchen. Sam met him at the rear entranceway, pie in hand. “Have you had supper yet Sam?”

Sam nodded. “My mom says I have to come home right away. That is … unless you have something you want me to do since I missed work this afternoon,” Sam said. He looked at his feet.

Frodo smiled. “I do indeed have something for you to do.” Frodo grabbed a couple of plates and two spoons. “I can’t eat all this by myself. I need you to help me finish it since I can’t send a full plate back to your mother, now can I? Could you get us some milk too?” Sam was momentarily confused at the unusual request, but retrieved a couple of glasses and filled them with milk from the jug.

“Come on,” Frodo said as he shoved a plate full of pie at his friend, “let’s go into the library. I’m in the middle of reading about some Elves that used to live just north of the Shire, and I don’t want to loose my place. Maybe you can help me keep all the facts straight.” Frodo took his glass of milk from Sam and started down the hallway.

“But … but Mister Frodo,” Sam called out, “I’m not supposed to eat anywhere ‘cept the kitchen. My Da would have a fit if he caught me in Master Bilbo’s library with food!” Sam hesitated at the kitchen doorframe.

Frodo turned around and led Sam back to the kitchen table. “Sam, you are right. Once my mind is set on something, I tend to plow ahead and do it without thinking of the consequences. I didn’t even consider the possibility of making a mess on Uncle Bilbo’s books and maps. Guess it’s better if we eat here, then go into the library. Is that all right with you?”

Sam smiled and the two friends sat down to dinner.

---------

Bilbo was thankful that Frodo had set out not only a lantern at the front door, but also one at the front gate. The fading crescent moon had returned to bed early in the evening, and all was dark and still as Bilbo ascended the front steps and went into the smial. Having a few beers with Hamfast made walking a bit of a challenge in the dark. Hamfast was used to his more-potent homebrew than the gentle ales served at the Green Dragon.

“That you Uncle Bilbo?” Frodo called out from the library.

“Yesh.” Bilbo shrugged off his backpack, but carried it into his library instead of hanging it up on the pegs in the hallway. “I have something for you, Frodo.”

Frodo had the library lighted up with multiple candles. There were books and maps in neat piles on the floor, and a new map under construction on the worktable. Bilbo set the backpack down on the floor and pulled out the long cane sticking out of the top of the sack.

“What in the world is that?” Frodo asked.

Bilbo waved a slightly bleary finger at him. “Patience. There’s more to come.” He pulled out a second, and a third cane from the pack. “Notice that they screw together and have guide rings.” Bilbo seemed immensely proud of the contraption. He pulled out a ball of thin twine and a box.

Suddenly the puzzle came together in Frodo’s quick mind. “It’s a fishing pole! But it fits into your backpack. How wonderful. Where did you get that?”

Bilbo smiled. “Hamfast’s brother, Andy Roper, made it. Damn clever, eh? It’s for me. I plan on doing a little fishing if we’re going all that way up to a lake. No telling what type of fish live up there in the cold north. Maybe I’ll catch one for the record books.” Bilbo reached into the pack again. “I purchased something for you as well.” He brought out a small leather tablet set inside a wooden frame with a complicated wooden box attached to one side. “Go ahead. Open it.”

Frodo unbound the brown ribbon holding the contraption shut. The first thing he noticed was the small pad of creamy paper held to the wooden frame by a clip. The attached box held intricate compartments for holding writing and drawing equipment. They contained a small inkwell with a screw-on metal lid, a couple of general-purpose quills, sticks of charcoal, a blotter, and a sharpening knife and whetstone. Frodo was stunned. It was a traveling kit for documenting their expedition. He knew the special inkwell alone must have cost quite a good bit of money.

“I … I don’t know what to say,” he stammered. “Thank you!” He hugged his Uncle.

Bilbo smiled again. “It’s all arranged. The Gamgees will look after Bag End while we are gone. I hope you did your homework well. We leave tomorrow. I’m going to sleep now. Good night Frodo.”