Kalista, a small hobbit girl with raven black hair and emerald green eyes stood outside her family's Smial. With her little brother, Samwise in tow, the girl walked up the hill where the large tree at the top held a small, wooden swing. The little boy trudged along behind his older sister in a daze, draggin his feet churning up the dust. The birds were out singing beautiful songs and flying about erratically. "Samwise, sometime I wonder why I'm cursed to have a baby broher. Can't you walk a little faster? I would like to get home before supper." Kalista yanked a little at Sam's arm causing him to yelp but walk rather then watch the birds.
Grumbling a little as she placed the smaller Hobbit on the swing, she started to push him back and forth. The 4-year-old began to giggle uncontrollably. "Higher Kallie, higher!" he'd squeak out between giggles and squeals. Kalista rolled her eyes but did as he said. She pushed him a little harder on the swing and, despite herself, smiled at the thrill in such a simple thing.
As the two were playing, the clip-clop of a pony and buggy was heard coming up the path of Bag Shot Row. Kalista looked down and saw the buggy moving up the hill, towards Bag End, the Baggins family home. It was huge and luxurious with plush carpets and big, but cozy, rooms. And as welcoming at the home was, the owner was more so, being the most peculiar, and most friendly hobbit she'd ever known, almost like the grandfather she'd never known. But who could Bilbo be expecting, he never got company in a buggy, most walked and used the excuse of walking day and night to stayed in one of the large rooms, eat his food and take advantage of his dragon gold rumored to be in the walls and floor boards. Sam laughed loudly as he swung back and before she could do anything, she landed on her back side with a thud and got kicked in the back of the head as Sam swung back by to go forward. Angrily, she jumped off the grund and grabbed Sam from the swing, mid air. Sam started to complain but stopped as he saw the look in Kalista's eyes and simply followed her toward Bag End, not knowing why.
The buggy, driven by Saradoc Brandybuck; master of Buckland, came down the road and came to a stop in front of Bag End. Joining Saradoc was a young Hobbit lad of about fourteen years in age. A slight breeze rustled the boy's dark hair and made his cheeks blush against the cold compared to the rest of his fair skin. He was quiet and not too sure about what to think about Hobbiton or the Great Hill for that matter. He kicked a rock as he hopped out of th buggy and glanced around, examining what had changed since he last visited Bilbo with his mother the summer previous.
Frodo Baggins, son of Drogo Baggins made a fast run for the door hopeful to surprise Bilbo as he was not to arrive for a few more hours. Saradoc laughed at the boy's enthusiasm to see Bilbo and just let him be as he set the horse comfortable in front of Bag End. Just then, the large, green, circular door opened and revealed a handsome looking Hobbit in a brown tweed vest and velvet pant suit. Frodo smiled brightly, disguising his disappointing at the failed surprise, and his bright blue eyes danced at the site of his cousin. "Bilbo!"
"Frodo my lad, it is about time you came and visited me!" Bilbo said with a merry laugh, arms wide with pipe in hand.
"I am so glad to see you too." Frodo responded, wrapping the older hobbit tight in his arms. Bilbo smiled and returned the embrace. "I have your room all set and ready for your things." He stated as he looked up to Saradoc, who was waiting patiently to speak with him.
"Frodo lad, why don't you take this inside for me…" Bilbo handed him the book he had lying on the bench outside the door and the boy eagerly took it and disappeared inside. Saradoc watched Frodo leave and held his tongue until positive he was out of ear shot, "Thank you for taking him….He's been moping around since the…accident. Got so excited every time he heard your name, we figured it was the best place for him." He tapped theremaining pipe weed from his pipe and pulled some luggage down, "there's a little money in the bottom of this chest here…help pay for expenses…it was all we could get from the account until he is of age." Frodo appeared back at the door peering out at their gloomy faces.
"All his things are in the coach, but we just came from quite a long Ride from Buckland." Saradoc said with a hint in his voice of the boy's presence. Bilbo picked up on the hint right away "Bless me, where are my manners?" He chuckled to lighten the mood. "Come in and have something to eat, I have a fresh pot of tea ready."
Saradoc nodded and then looked at Frodo. "Frodo, lad, take what you can carry from the coach and take them to your new room while I talk to Bilbo." Frodo nodded and when Bilbo and Saradoc went inside, Frodo stood out in front of Bag End, quietly taking in the new place, and wondering what the two were talking about.
Kalista walked briskly up the hill and stopped at the fence of Bag End. She watched, unnoticed by the boy meeting Bilbo and then Saradoc and Bilbo going inside, leaving the boy standing alone. "Well, that's interesting."
Sam started to ask her "What's interesting," but she shushed him and walked over a little closer to get a closer look at the new comers. She peeked around the buggy and saw the boy standing on the steps. Kalista had never seen him before, but he had some resemblance to Bilbo, the same face shape, very "Elfin" as Bilbo put it. But this boy seemed different; his hair was darker and he was much thinner than any of the Hobbit lads she knew.
Once Frodo had caught his bearings, he walked over to the buggy to pick up some of his bags. It was then, Frodo noticed two young Hobbits over by the gate, watching him. Frodo looked at them with a wide, inquisitive look in his eyes but said nothing. He never did get along with other individuals, people said he was shy and quiet in an peculiar, unnatural way, and he had heard them. They would think so too and what good would I be to make someone dislike you, so he overlooked the two, turned his head to the buggy and grabbed a few sacks from the cart.
As Frodo walked back towards the front door of Bag End, Kalista took this as her chance to meet the boy and swiftly slunk up towards him. She knew he noticed her and she frowned at his rudeness of ignoring her being there. After telling Sam to wait for her by the gate, Kalista walked up to the boy and smiled politely and greeted him. "Hi!"
Frodo glanced over to the lass and smiled a gentle, polite smile. "Hullo" he mumbled as he brought the bags to the door, put them down and returned to the buggy for an extra load. Kalista smiled a little more as she watched him remove the bags two by two. He had an awful lot of things to carry. Was he moving in? "Can I help?"
"These are a little heavy for you, I have it under control." Frodo replied as he climbed up into the back of the buggy and started sorting his effects. Once he found the bag he was searching for, he dropped it down to the floor, it landed with a thud. Three bags later, he jumped back down and brought them over to the door. Kalista was a little perturbed at that comment, how dare he? She was perfectly capable of carrying a few bags of clothes. "They don't look heavy." She said, following him to the door.
Frodo stopped at the door and looked over at the young Hobbitess with a arched brow. He then picked up a particularly heavy bag; one filled with books Frodo had borrowed from Bilbo and handed it to the girl. "Alright then, you can carry this one." He tossed it to her.
Kalista smiled and happily caught the bag. The bag felt like a ton of rocks and she grunted from the weight and regained her balance from the force of impact. Reluctant to prove the boy right, she carried the bag without a complaint, even if she was dragging the bag more than carrying it.
Sam, who had been quietly watching the scene from the fence, giggled and then yelled over to his sister: "Kalista is a weaky." Kalista glared at her younger brother, who stuck out his tongue out playfully. "You can go home Samwise." Giggling, the boy trotted off down the road towards his home. It was almost suppertime anyway and he was hungry.
Frodo smirked to himself at the site of the girl half carrying and half dragging the bag. When he came to the front of the door again, he took the bag from the girl and handed her a lighter one. "My name is Frodo." He then said with a smile as he opened the door. She mirrored him and tossed the pack over her shoulder. "Kalista, people call me Kallie" she held her hand out to shake. Frodo smirked and took her hand, kissing it as he had been trained for years, "good to meet you, Kalista" A few moments later, after shock had subsided, she re-shouldered the pack, "So, you're moving in?" She asked curiously.
"Yes. Bilbo is my Uncle. Well, he is more my cousin, but we are closer than that, if you know what I mean." Frodo started to ramble on about his relationship with Bilbo and stopped. A light smile appeared on his face then as he walked inside the Smial. "He invited me to move in because Brandy Hall was so crowded." Walking down the hall, Frodo admired all the richly decorated rooms of Bag End. Fine cherry wood tables and green velvet cushioned chairs lining along the walls of the hole. The beautiful throw rugs softened the cool tile and hard wood of the floor. Bilbo could be heard talking to Saradoc in the kitchen, but Frodo and Kalista turned the other direction to find his new room.
It had all come together now. In the past weeks, she had helped Bilbo set up a new bedroom in his old study. She had wondered why Bilbo would be doing this because there were many other marvelous rooms down the other hall, she had even asked him a few times, but the older Hobbit was always busy with something else and he often forgot about her questions. "I think it is the one at the end of the hall." She pointed to a round door which almost blended into the darkness.
Frodo looked over at Kalista as he walked down the hall. "I take it you come here often, since you seem to know where everything is."
Kalista chuckled a little, "Actually yes. Mostly to help my Da, but sometimes I come inside to help Bilbo." Kalista paused for a moment and then continued. "My Da's the gardener here; if you were wondering."
"Oh," Frodo commented. He walked into the room Kalista pointed out. The room was much larger than the room he had at Brandy Hall, it was even his own. Two closets lined the north and east walls and a large 4 poster bed stood in the middle of the room with large fluffy pillows in silk cases and a warm comforter throw over the top in a dark emerald green. A small desk sat below the only window, fresh with paper, ink bottle and a new quill. Placing the bags in the corner on the floor, Frodo sat on and bed and bounced on it to get a good feel. It was nice and soft, obviously unused previously as the air escaped from the other side of the mattress, compressing to pillow around him.
The only problem with the room was the one small window, obscured by a curtain. Frodo did not mind the dimness too much; it would help him to sleep better at night. The lamps gave the room sufficient light for when he wanted to read or write. He looked to Kalista who was placing the bag down next to the other and played with the feather quill sticking out of the bottle, it wasn't everyday other kids came to talk to him; and she was a inquisitive one.
"So you're not a Baggins then? If you lived at Brandy Hall." Kalista then asked rather absentlmindedly, blowing on the feather. She knew a little about the families of the Shire. Names like the Sackville-Bagginses; who didn't get along with the regular Baggins'. The Brandybucks, who went on wild adventures with the Tooks. She was also familiar with who lived where, thanks to Bilbo, who often taught Kalista about Shire relations. Kalista stopped playing with the feather and watched Frodo intently.
"I am so a Baggins." Frodo snapped dryly. He sat up straight on his bed and cocked an eyebrow. "My father was Drogo Baggins. I lived in Buckland because my mother was a Brandybuck and most of my relations were there, but that doesn't make me any less a Baggins."
Kalista jumped back a step at the outburst "Sorry, sorry; no need to get upset. It was just a simple question." That was the fastest she'd seen anyone get so agitated. Perhaps she should have to start watching her questions around him. The last thing she wanted to do was offend this boy and make Bilbo mad.
Frodo let out a little sigh and stood up from the bed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..." He muttered.
Kalista smiled a little and cut him off, "Don't worry about it. So, do you like your room? I mean, it is a little dark, but I'm sure that you'll get used to it." About that time, Bilbo came up to Frodo's door and smiled with surprise.
"Oh, Kallie-dear! Did you sneak in?" He laughed. "Well, I am sure you two have met and all. I was just coming to check and see how everything is going over; if you took a liking to your room or not." He then stated, looking between Kalista and Frodo.
Frodo smiled to Bilbo and nodded his head slightly. "It is great." He stated before looking around. "It is much bigger than my old room."
Bilbo nodded with agreement. "Yes well, we can always move you to a smaller room if you like?" He offered nonchalantly, a smirk crossing his thin lips.
"No," Frodo stated almost immediately. "This is just fine." He smiled, sitting on the bed again, to show that he was not planning on moving out of the new room. "It is just...different, that is all."
Bilbo smiled warmly at Frodo. "Alright then. Are you hungry? Kalista, if you'd like, you could stay as well. I've got plenty of food in the pantry." Kalista stifled a giggle; Bilbo was famous for his ability to make people eat, even when not hungry. Before anyone could say anything, he started to ramble off everything he could make. "Lets see; we have some leftover pork, cheese, bread, honey cakes, how about some eggs?" he offered.
Frodo held back a laugh as he stood. "It all sounds wonderful Bilbo." He stated. "But I am not too hungry right now. I would rather like to go looking around the fields, if that is ok." Frodo's eyes suddenly became wide, blue, pleading orbs. It was his secret weapon against Bilbo and any other adult who wanted him to eat or do something he didn't want too.
Bilbo nodded, "Just the same, your relatives told me you didn't eat much. I just figured, since you had been on the road a while..." He stopped and looked at Frodo, giving into the boy's routine. "All right; I'm rambling again. Go have some fun." Frodo smiled and hugged Bilbo thankfully. "I will eat something when I return." He stated.
Bilbo nodded and returned the hug before walking back into the kitchen, talking of how unnatural it was for a young boy not to eat.
Kalista grinned a little and nudged Frodo in the shoulder. "He's going to have you fat if you stay here too long." Frodo grinned at Kalista and watched as Bilbo went walking back into the kitchen with Saradoc. He then stuck his hands into his trouser pockets and headed out of Bag End.
There was a wonderful view of the Party Field and the distance town of Hobbiton only a little bit a way. Frodo was curious to know all about Hobbiton and the woods around it. Kalista followed him out and watched him patiently. He seemed a little at a lost for where to start exploring.
"Do you want me to show you around? I mean; I know just as much about Hobbiton as anyone else here should. I'd have to check in first, but other than that, we can go where ever you want." Kalista questioned.
Frodo didn't look at Kalista at first, he was still eying up the land around him but he suddenly broke his thoughts and smiled. "If you want, but..." Frodo stopped what he was going to say, he did not want to seem rude to this girl; she was being quite friendly and helpful to him.
"But what?" she asked. 'But' was always a bad thing, especially with boys.
"Nothing." Frodo replied. "Let's go get you checked in." He then stated as he waited for Kalista's lead.
Kalista smiled and started to walk off, leading him down Bag Shot rowas they walked the houses became suddenly dreary and worn down, but a light seemed to shine from the people, maybe children were at play and ran to father who can home from work, wives and the older girls stood about gossiping, cutting orka and snapping beans. And Kalista seemed to know them all, "that's where the cottons live, they have a 5 kids…only ones a girl….and here are the Proudfoot's and next to us at the orange door…" she trailed off as Frodo looked around. He had not seen family's so poor but so happy. "here it is" Kalista smiled and ran up to the door, pushing in the bottom half and leaving the top closed, 'hi mum, this is Frodo…..do you mind if we go play?" She walked in and saw Sam sitting at the table playing in some bread dough and watching his mother, Belle, sew some shirts.
Belle turned to her youngest daughter and looked to Frodo, "Oh, you must be the one Bilbo's been talking about! I'm Bell." she introduced herself as politely as she could, considering the smudged flour on her cheek and infant she was holding who was all to fascinated with a kerchief. She was not the most beautiful hobbit, but she had a warm inviting smile and a shine in her eyes that expressed an inward spark she put aside for family, one a mother normally had.
Frodo extended his hand as he watched her…suddenly missing his own mother. "Hello, I am Frodo. Nice to meet you. I hope you don't mind if Kalista shows me around." Bell nodded, "I think it'll be alright. She has her chores done. Just be back in time for dinner Kalista."
"Alright Mum, I'll see you tonight, and thank you!" Kalista then gave Bell a hug and then Sam one. "See you later Squirt." He responded by waving a dough caked hand at her before returning to his work.
Frodo jogged out of the Smial and came up being Kalista. Now that they had the green light, Frodo was excited to start exploring. "Well, where to first?"
Kalista started to think. Where all could she take him? There were the forests, Hobbiton, the party field, she could tell him about the green dragon, or take him to the lake. She finally decided that this was not her choice. "What do you want to see? We have a lot here." She smiled; this was going to be fun.
"That helps. You know more about this place than I do." Frodo frowned and then looked around. "Well, what about the woods?" Kalista smiled excitedly; she knew the perfect place to take him. "Alright. That's my favorite place to get lost in. There is a huge tree I'm not supposed to climb, but I do anyway. I'll show you." She said before walking off with him following. "It's kind of scary at night, but during the day it's pretty."
Frodo followed after Kalista and smirked. "I have been in worse forest at night in Buckland, I can handle these. But I am sure they are nice." He smiled. Kalista smirked a little and watched Frodo quietly. 'So, he was as stubborn as he was adventurous.'
The two walked for a few miles before coming to the edge of the woods. The sun shone through the trees, lighting the inner paths nicely with bright, warm light, nothing scary or treacherous around for miles. Frodo and Kalista then entered the woods and began to walk in quite enjoyment.
The ground was covered in cool green grass and the trees were in full bloom as they always were in the mid spring seasons. Frodo loved walking and soon they were so deep into the woods, that they would no longer see any signs of Hobbiton or the Great Hill.
Eventually, after a little bit of walking, Kalista and Frodo came to a clearing of woods where a large oak tree grew. It was tall and thick and the branches were rugged and strong. Looking to Frodo, Kalista smiled and started to climb. "Come on Frodo." She hollered from a few branches up.
Frodo began to climb the tree after Kalista. He struggled a little at first but then got the knack for the tree. Catching up with Kalista, Frodo looked down towards the ground. They were rather high and were able to see a good distance of woods, but Frodo was not scared. He often climbed trees at Brandy Hall. "I take it you do not listen when they tell you not to climb?" He grinned.
Kalista grinned and nodded her head. "I love climbing trees. It makes me feel bigger. Come on, almost there." She climbed a little higher and then sat on one of the larger branches and waited for Frodo.
Frodo continued to climb and eventually made it to the tree branch where Kalista was waiting. It was large and strong enough for both to sit on. Frodo looked down and laughed. "And they say Hobbit's hate heights." He commented through panted breaths.
Kalista giggled a little. "Out of breath are we?
"I am fine." He stated defensively as he leaned back on the branch gently and looked upward. The view was wonderful and it was so peaceful. Frodo started to feel like maybe he could call this home.
"This is the best place in the entire Shire to watch the sunrise and sunset. You can see the whole sky." She waved her arm a little bit trying to give an example. "Also no one else come here. It's my secret place. Well, now it can be yours too, if you can make it up here." She grinned teasingly as she noticed Frodo's ragged breaths. The sky turned orange as the sun snak below the distant hills and the tall trees. In the west the sun was sleeping and the east the oon appeared surrounded by the bright stars.
"Thank you for showing me this." Frodo smiled, looking up at the sky.
Frodo watched in silence but soon moved a little as the sky began to darken. He did not realize the two had spent so much time talking and sitting in the oak; he did not even get to explore all he wanted to see. "We should be getting back home." He stated as he began to climb down the Oak. He stopped, clasping onto the thick trunk and looked up at Kalista impatiently. "Are you coming?"
Kalista nodded but she didn't want to leave yet; the sky was so pretty. But she remembered about her promise to her mother about being home for dinner. She had no choice but to followed Frodo down from the tree. "Alright then, lets go." She smiled, revealing her dimpled cheeks and started to climb down.
Frodo smiled as he jumped off the last few inches of the tree and then waited to help Kalista down. There was a slight breeze in the air, but the evening was still quite warm. "This was fun." He smiled.
"Yes, it was, we'll have to do it again sometime." Kalista returned. "I come here in the morning usually, but it's very early. If you want to meet me here sometime, you can." She offered. "That would be fun. Then perhaps you can show me a little more around. Are there any more Hobbits our age around?" Frodo asked as they walked towards the road leading to the Great Hill.
The forest was now completely dark, a major contrast to the once lighted area from only a few hours ago. Frodo stretched his arms outward to feel his way through the trees as he walked, so not to loose his balance, or bump into something.
"A few, but not too many." Kalista frowned a little. "There is my sister, May, and then the Proudfoots have a boy a few years younger then me. Most are older or younger. Most of them are Sam's age." "Oh." Frodo commented. It wasn't that he didn't like Kalista, but the thought that he was the only one around close to his age depressed him. But then, Frodo thought about Lotho Sackville-Baggins, a relation of Frodo and Bilbo's. Though Frodo never met him, he heard he was about Frodo's age. Perhaps Bilbo could give some insight on that?
The night became cooler and the two were practically shivering as they made it to Kalista's Smial. Frodo stopped to say good night and thank you for Kalista's kindness to him. "I hope Bilbo wasn't too worried that I was out so late."
"Well, if he is, just smile at him with a little pout and make your eyes big like you did before. He won't care after that." Kalista laughed as she made a pout face to give Frodo and example. "Get's him every time." She giggled. "Well, it was nice meeting you Frodo Baggins." Kalista smiled and curtsied at Frodo mocking his formality upon meeting, causing the older boy to laugh.
"It was nice meeting you Kalista..." Frodo then paused; he did not know her last name. Kalista grinned and bowed her head a little, staring down at the ground.
"Kalista-Rose Gamgee. If you were wondering my full name." She said in an almost sing song voice. She loved her name and let everyone in the Shire know too. Not too many hobbit lasses had the name 'Kalista.' It was quite original and Kalista was very proud.
Frodo nodded as he took the name in. "Very well, Kalista-Rose." He chuckled. "Thank you for showing me around." Frodo then fell silent and waited for Kalista to go on inside before he started for Bag End.
Kalista nodded and walked into the Smial, waving to him before closing the door. Inside, Kalista walked into the kitchen to where her meal, left over and cold, awaited her. But she was too excited to eat and only picked at the food on her plate. She was quite taken with the new boy; he was different from anyone else in Hobbiton. Maybe it was because he was new, or because he was a relative of Bilbo's. She then wondered just how much like Bilbo Frodo was. Was he adventurous like Bilbo? "Most interesting." She commented to herself with a soft smile and ate her meal.
Frodo started walking to Bag End, crossing his arms over his chest to block out the cold. He took a last look back at Kalista's door and smiled. "Most interesting." Suddenly, the smell of mushroom soup filled the air and Frodo looked over to Bag End. The lights were on and Frodo could tell Bilbo was preparing supper. Saradoc's cart was no longer in front of the Smial, which meant he must have left, leaving Frodo and Bilbo alone. Frodo was quite excited to talk to Bilbo about everything and to get a chance to settle down into his new home. He was definitely going to like it here. "Most interesting indeed." He thought out loud before entering Bag End.