Chapter 1

Bilbo sat on the bench in front of his house, enjoying the sunset. The smoke from his pipe made odd shapes of deer that blew away in the wind. In his hand was a silver clasp, shaped like a feather, he played with it absentmindedly, twirling it around his fingers.

"Are you nervous for the party tomorrow?" Frodo said as he jumped over the fence and sat down next to him. Bilbo took the pipe out of his mouth and exhaled slowly, then looked at Frodo, shaking his head.

"Frodo, I was thinking, and your interruptions are not helping" Frodo grinned.

"You have been sitting out here a lot lately, smoking that pipe of yours-"

"It's good for the spirit. See how it feels to be interrupted?" his brown eyes looked tired. Frodo leaned back on the bench.

"So what thing has been eating at you these past few days? You're turning eleventy-one! You should be excited"

"A person, not a thing." He toyed with the clasp again.

"Are you thinking about her again? Was that...?" Bilbo smiled sadly, putting the pipe in his mouth again. "Tell me Bilbo."

"Well my boy, it's a very long story." Frodo plucked a tall blade of grass next to the bench.

"Bilbo, tell me. I want to hear it." Bilbo took another look drag from the pipe, the smoke making little feathers that fluttered down onto their laps.

"My dear Frodo, you asked me once if I had told you everything there was to know about my adventures. Well, I can honestly say I've told you the truth, I may not have told you all of it. It all started exactly sixty nine years ago, at a pub in Crickhollow..."

Rain poured down heavily, hitting the pub windows, making the sound of soft thunder fill Bilbos ears. He sat at the bar, his bare feet dangling as he took a sip of his pint of Ale. The man behind the bar smiled at the hobbit. Bilbo was on his way back home from one of his little adventures, and even though he was only a few miles away from his home in Bag End, he had just gotten back from the Sackville-Baggins house. There was a conflict over the inheritance over Bag End. He was getting to the mid-point in a hobbit's life. Bilbo went to calm them down, no Sackville-Baggins was going to inherit the land, not over his dead body. All he wanted to do was rest his weary feet and drink a toast. It was his forty second birthday tomorrow, and he wanted to celebrate one birthday in solitude just the way he liked it. The moon was high in the starry night, almost full. The seat was comfy and the pub was warm. He hummed with satisfaction as he took a big gulp of his drink, feeling the liquid burn down his throat. He let the lull of the pub help his mind wonder.

The pub door swung open, hitting the wall with a loud room got instantly quiet when a small cloaked figure pushed its way to the bar. Everyone stared as they climbed to the chair next to Bilbo and pulled down their hood. It was a girl, her pale blue eyes bore into the bartenders green ones.

"A pint of Ale. If you will." The bartender picked up a glass and started to clean it.

"We don't serve kids here, go-" The girl slammed her fist onto the countertop.

"Listen, I am eighteen, I am no kid. Do not test me. Now, Ale" Her arms crossed on the countertop, showing the hidden daggers. The murmur of the pub slowly started up again. Bilbo looked her over with wide eyes, her black hair was tied back into a tight pony tail, her bangs framing her face, her cloak rested evenly on her shoulders. She had a light dust of freckles, Bilbo noticed. She gave him a sidelong glance as the bartender placed the pint in front of her. Bilbo ran his fingers through his brown mess of hair and looked at the girl. She was just as tall as him, four feet five inches. She smiled, showing her dimples. He blushed a bit, clearing his throat.

"So what is a young hobbit like yourself doing away from Hobbiton at this time of the night?" He grinned, but she just took another sip of her ale.

" I am no hobbit," She turned and glared at him. He widened his eyes and put his hands up. "Is it because im short? I can take on men four times my size and leave without a scratch." Bilbo shook his head.

"I meant no offence-." She snorted and took another sip, which got cut short when a tall man set a heavy hand on her shoulder, a mischievous grin spread on her face. Bilbo glared at him. "Excuse me but the kind lady and I were talking..." The man ignored the hobbit and picked the girl up and swung her around to face him, grabbing the front of her shirt, dangling her in the air to match his height. She was grinning from ear to ear, his scowl made the ale in Bilbos throat taste sour.

"Where is the money you owe me wench" She mustered the most innocent look she could.

"Didnt you get that last week?" He growled and tightened his grip on the front of her shirt. She looked at her nails, then picked out the dirt from under. "Shame well-" She couldn't finish because she was launched across the room, hitting the wall with a hollow crack. Bilbo jumped to his feet and ran to help her up. She grimaced and looked at him. "Careful hobbit, this isn't your fight."

"My name is Bilbo, and it is if I want it to be" She grinned.

"The name is Akira" She wiped some blood off her chin. " Well Bilbo, get ready for some bruises and broken bones" Bilbo gulped-

"I thought That you met her at a festival, at the flower shop!" Frodo interrupted, shifting his weight on the bench. Bilbo glared at him. "Sorry... please continue...?"

Bilbo gulped, and turned to face the man three times his size.

"Can't we come to some mutual agreement-" Akira tried, but the man drew a giant battle ax, the blade as big as her head. "Thought so. Ah well, twas a shame knowing you". She reached for her sword but Bilbo stopped her.

"Follow me!" He grabbed her hand and dragged her behind him, through the man's legs and out the front door. The man lowered the ax to meet them but it missed the edge of Akiras cloak by inches. He bellowed in anger and tried to unwedge his ax from the hard pub floor. Bilbo and Akira ran across the muddy path and into the thick forest. They ran until they could no longer hear the man thrashing through the woods. Bilbo still held her hand, she slowly pulled hers away, blushing slightly.

"I could have handled him you know" Bilbo just nodded, but turned her around and started to take her cloak off. She yelped and drew one of her daggers, aiming at his throat. "Are you daft? What are you doing?!" He raised his hands apologetically.

"You were thrown against a wall, I just wanted to asses the damage." She narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not hurt, It was just a little bump" she tried to hide the wince. Bilbo tried to approach her again, this time with a little more care. Akira sheathed the dagger. "Try anything funny and you will kiss your fingers good bye." Bilbo chuckled nervously and slowly brought her tunick up, exposing her back. There were large dark bruises all over. He gently touched one of the darker spots, right above a rib. Akira inhaled sharply with pain. Bilbo sighed and pulled her shirt back down.

"You have two broken ribs and there is major bruising all over your back."

"I have had worse" Bilbo raised his eyebrows.

"You need rest, and lots of it. My home is just west of here. Might as well rest at my place until you feel better." Akira tried to protest, but the pain nearly made her faint.
"Now its just a few miles west..." Akira smiled, stumbled a bit, then held on to Bilbo for support. She brought her fingers to her mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle, grinning mischievously.

"I know a faster way."

Bilbo got up slowly, the smoke from his pipe came out in a slim trickle.

"It seems like the time for stories is over today."

"Bilbo! you can't do that to me! Not at such a suspenseful moment!"

"Bahh! I do what I please. Now run in and make some tea, It's getting a little chilly." Frodo got up and rest a hand on Bilbos shoulder.

"Don't worry, she is happy now where she is." Bilbo looked down at the clasp in his hands as Frodo walked inside of their house.

"Yes... She is indeed." He got up slowly, looking at the quiet silhouette of Hobbiton, before he followed Frodo inside.