Mimosa Bracegirdle: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter One

Year: 1400

Bilbo POV

My dear Rowan and Frodo... You asked Mimosa and I once if we had told you everything there was to know about our...adventures. And while we can honestly say we have told both of you the truth, we may not have told you all of it. Mimosa and I are old now, you two. We're not the same Hobbits we once were. I think it is time for you to know what really happened.

I lit a candle and went into my study. Seemed like everyone but me was asleep. That's why this was the perfect time to begin. I opened my old chest, and picked up some papers. Under those, Sting lay like it had been for years, waiting patiently to see another battle. I dug past it, grabbed my red book, and opened it. In there was an old drawing of myself, and the old one of Mimosa slid out from under it. I picked them up and looked at them, smiling. On mine I had a straight face-no smiling, no expression. With Mimosa it was different. Her hair was cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall, her eyes seemed to even twinkle with that youthful and playful spark that they once had, that had now been replaced with wisdom and age. She's smiling as if she had no care in the world. This was before she married, before she watched one of her children die right before her eyes. I put those to the side, dipped my quill in the ink, and began writing.

It began long ago in a land far away to the east, the like of which you will not find in the world today. There was the city of Dale. Its markets known far and wide. Full of the bounties of vine and vale. Peaceful and prosperous. For this city lay before the doors of the greatest kingdom in Middle Earth: Erebor. Stronghold of Thror, King Under the Mountain. Mightiest of the Dwarf Lords. Thror ruled with utter surety, never doubting his house would endure, for his line lay secure in the lives of his son and grandson. Ah, you two. Erebor. Built deep within the mountain itself, the beauty of this fortress city with legend. Its wealth lay in the earth, in precious gems hewn from rock, and in great seams of gold, running like rivers through stone. The skill of the Dwarves was unequaled; fashioning objects of great beauty out of diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire. Ever they delved deeper down into the dark. And that is where they found it. The Heart of the Mountain. The Arkenstone. Thror named it "The King's Jewel". He took it as a sign. A sign that his right to rule was divine. All would pay homage to him. Even the great Elven King, Thranduil. But the years of peace and plenty were not to last. Slowly the days turned sour and the watchful nights closed in. Thror's love of gold had grown too fierce. A sickness had begun to grow within him. It was a sickness of the mind. And where sickness thrives, bad things will follow.
The first they heard was a noise like a hurricane, coming down from the North. The pines on the mountain creaked and cracked in the hot, dry wind. He was a firedrake from the North. Smaug had come. Such wanton death was dealt that day. For this city of Men was nothing to Smaug. His eye was set on another prize. For dragons covet gold with a dark and fierce desire. Erebor was lost. For a dragon will guard his plunder as long as he lives.

Thorin POV

I looked around standing outside. I knew exactly what this was. I looked at Balin.

"Balin, sound the alarm." I ordered. A flag whipped and we ducked down, making Balin grunt. "Call out the guard. Do it now!" my tone began to get fiercer. To say the least, I was very scared. But I wasn't going to let it show. I started to go inside.

"What is it?" Balin asked. I stopped and looked at him.

"Dragon." I explained. My eyes grew wide as I watched. I ran over to the balcony and looked inside. "Dragon!" my cry echoed. The fire almost swallowed the outside balcony that Balin stood on. I grabbed him and we hid behind a pillar, both of us grunting as another sea of fire headed our way. The people of Dale below began screaming, horns bellowed, the dragon roared. After we got inside, we got all of the soldiers together, and we ran towards the doors. The fire came through the cracks, making us stop. The doors flew open, and I shouted at my men to get ready. A claw appeared, settling itself on the doorframe. Above us, the wall exploded and fire and brick rained down on us. My men were thrown to the side like old armor. I had to move because the dragon had finally made his way inside. He was walking, stepping on my men. But my grandfather was nowhere to be found. Looking up, I saw he had taken the Arkenstone. I ran after him, and grabbed him as he was watching all of his gold swirl around, and the Arkenstone nowhere to be found. The dragon roared as we backed out of the room. I held my sword at the ready. "Come on." And we ran out of Erebor, everyone who was alive was screaming and crying. I looked up, and saw the Elves. "Run for your lives!" I shouted at my people. I looked at the Elves again. "Ah! Help us!" I looked at Thranduil until the coward turned around, and his army left us.

Bilbo POV

Thranduil would not risk the lives of his kin against the wrath of the dragon. No help came from the Elves that day...nor any day since. Robbed of their homeland, the Dwarves of Erebor wandered the wilderness, a once mighty people brought low. The young Dwarf prince took work where he could find it...laboring in the villages of Men. But always he remembered the mountain smoke beneath the moon, the trees like torches blazing bright. For he had seen dragon fire in the sky and a city turned to ash. And he never forgave...and he never forgot. That, my dear Frodo and Rowan, is where Mimosa and I come in. For, quite by chance, and the will of a Wizard, fate decided that we would become part of this tale. It began... Well, it began as you might expect. In a hole in the ground, there lived two Hobbits. Not a nasty dirty, wet hole full of worms and oozy smells. This was a Hobbit hole. And that means good food, a warm hearth, and all the comforts of home.

Mimosa POV

"Bilbo." I said walking into the room. Bilbo didn't look up from his book; he just kept writing. I giggled, and walked over to him. I placed my hands on his shoulders, and he jumped and looked at me.

"Hello, Mimosa, I didn't hear you come in."

"What are you writing?" I asked. Bilbo looked at me, a smile on his face.

"I'm finally writing our adventure."

I smile back at him. "It's about time."

"I know."

"Are you ever going to tell Rowan and Frodo?"

"One day."

"That's what you've been saying for years."

"And that's what I'm going to keep on saying until I finish writing this." Bilbo turned back to the book and started writing again.

I roll my eyes, a smile on my face. "You know, you would have made a good husband."

"You tell me that all the time."

"Why didn't you get married?"

Bilbo stopped and sighed. He looked at me. "Because the woman I loved married someone else. And now I know why."

"Why?"

"Because I never let her know how I really felt about her until it was too late."

We locked eyes and I studied him for a minute. "So it was me." I said. Bilbo looked down, and I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I know you're planning to leave for Rivendell." I lowered my voice. "And I know you want me to come with you. I am willing to do so. That's why I've been helping you."

"Mimosa—"

"Listen to me. Yes. I married Fosco. But that was because I thought you didn't love me."

"How many times did I save you? Mimosa, you are the only woman that I have ever loved."

I smiled.

"Mom?" Rowan called.

"In here, Row." I told her. Rowan walked in, and handed me a sheet of paper.

"Here's what you were looking for."

"Rowan! Hurry! Seriously, I need help!" I heard Frodo yell. "This is heavy!"

"Coming Frodo!" Rowan ran out of the room. I looked at the paper. It was a picture of me and Bilbo right after we had gotten back. I remember that. After it was finished, since I had my arms around Bilbo's neck, we walked home like that with people staring.

"Where did Rowan find that?" Bilbo took the picture and looked at it.

"I'm not sure. I told her what it looked like and she said she'd search high and low for it. Glad she found it."

"Me too."

"Bilbo... You don't have any hard feelings against Fosco, do you? I mean, even after he's dead?" I asked timidly.

"Mimosa that was years ago. Of course I don't. I used to—"

Something fell. "Oops!" Rowan said.

"Will you watch what you're doing?" I heard Frodo scold her.

"Well I'm sorry, it's just heavy!"

"That's what I told you!"

Bilbo and I looked at each other and held in our laughter. After a minute, I looked down. Bilbo made me look back up.

"As I was saying, I used to be very cold towards Fosco." Bilbo cleared his throat. "But I was his friend for your sake and your sake only."

"I know. I saw the dirty looks you sent his way." I put a strand of hair behind his ear. "Honestly. What I told you about marrying Fosco was true. And yes, we had a few affairs during the marriage around the time I got pregnant the kids."

"That always made me wonder... Rowan and Fosco... Are they...?"

I opened my mouth but then Rowan popped her head into the room. "Mom. We need help. Frodo keeps dropping stuff."

"I do not!" Frodo yelled and then something fell. I smiled.

"I'll be back. You continue writing." I kissed the top of his head and left the room. I saw Rowan and Frodo walk out of the kitchen, both eating an apple. Hm. I guess they fixed that. "Didn't you just eat?" I asked.

"It's just a snack." Frodo explained, smiling at me.

"Can you go check the mail?" I smiled at him and crossed my arms.

"Sure, no problem. Come on, Row." Frodo grabbed my daughter's wrist gently, and the two walked out of the house. Then it fell again. It was pot. I groaned, went in there, picked it up, and shook my head.

Rowan POV

"Mom was right though. We did just eat." I said.

"Hey. It's my birthday too, you know. I am now a fully grown Hobbit. I can do whatever." Frodo grabbed the mail from the mailbox.

"So what?"

"So you're not and now I have the ultimate right to boss you around."

"You do not."

"Do too."

"Nope."

"Go fix the garden."

"Make me."

"I will." Frodo grabbed me behind my waist and swung me around. I squealed and then he put me down. We looked at each other for a few moments and then Frodo cleared his throat. "Come on, let's go inside."

"Alright." I had a feeling Frodo wanted to do something, but I don't know what. We went back inside.

Mimosa POV

I walked back into the office, shaking my head. "Those two." I smiled.

"Bickering again?" Bilbo asked.

"No. They decided to get a little snack." I heard Rowan squeal outside and looked out the window. Frodo was swinging her around, both laughing and smiling. "I think Frodo likes her."

"Why do you say that?"

"Just look at them."

Bilbo looked up just as the two parted and blushed. We laughed a bit as they came inside. I stopped and Bilbo chuckled but stopped abruptly as they came into the room. He cleared his throat as Frodo put the mail down. "Thank you."

Frodo picked up the pictures. "What's this?" he asked. Rowan grabbed the one of me.

"That is private." Bilbo snapped, yanking the pictures out of their hands. "Keep your sticky paws off." I saw Frodo nudge Rowan and the two of them began to look at the book. Bilbo closed it. "It's not ready yet."

Frodo made some sort of noise, between a laugh and a scoff I think. "Not ready for what?" he smiled.

"Reading." Frodo grabbed Rowan by the hand and the two walked over to a chest. He picked up a helmet. "What on earth are these?" Bilbo picked up the mail.

"Replies to the party invitations." Frodo explained.

"Ah. Good gracious. Is it today?" Bilbo smiled.

"Yes. Did you forget?" I asked him. Bilbo sputtered for a moment.

"No."

Frodo smiled at us as Rowan chuckled. "They all say they're coming." He explained. "Except for the Sackville-Bagginses, who are demanding you ask them in person."

"They're always so hard-headed." Rowan mumbled.

"I know. It's annoying."

"Are they, indeed?" Bilbo snapped, walking out of his study. "Over my dead body."

"They'll probably find that quite agreeable." Frodo joked. "They seem to think you have tunnels overflowing with gold."

Bilbo rushed around hiding his valuable items. "It was one small chest hardly overflowing." He said. "And it still smells of Troll." Rowan laughed. "It's true. Take a whiff. You'll understand."

"I don't know what Troll smells like and I don't want to know." Rowan shook her head, her long red hair, which was in a braid, smacking Frodo in the face.

"Ow!" he held his cheek.

"Sorry."

"What on earth are you doing?" Frodo looked confused. Bilbo muttered. He looked at us.

"Taking precautions." He explained. "You know, I caught her making off with the silverware once."

"Who?"

"Lobelia Sackville-Baggins."

"I slapped her." I said, smiling. I was still proud of myself for doing that. Even to this day. Bilbo chuckled at my remark and continued.

"She had all my spoons stuffed her pocket. Ha! Dreadful woman." The three of us followed him. "Make sure you two keep an eye on her after Mimosa and I... When we're... When we're..."

"When you're what?" Frodo looked confused.

"It's nothing. Nothing."

Rowan and Frodo looked at each other and the three of us followed him again. Frodo spoke again.

"You know, some people are beginning to wonder about you, Uncle."

"Huh?"

"They think you're becoming odd."

"Odd?" Bilbo's head snapped up at the word. "Oh. Hm." He looked back at what he was doing.

"Unsociable." Frodo continued.

"Unsociable, me? Nonsense. Be a good lad and put that on the gate." Bilbo handed him a sign. Frodo, Rowan, and I looked at it and then looked at each other. Only because it had said:

"No Admittance Except On Party Business".

Outside

Frodo finished putting it up as Rowan leaned on the fence. I stood in the yard with Bilbo.

"Do you think he'll come?" Frodo asked.

"Who?" Bilbo was popping his back from twisting side to side. Rowan and Frodo looked at each other, rolling their eyes.

"Gandalf." They said together.

"Oh-ho." Bilbo chuckled, smiling. "He wouldn't miss a chance to let off his Whizpoppers. He'll give us quite a show. You'll see."

"Right, then. We're off." Frodo said. Rowan smiled.

"Off to where?"

"East-farthing Woods. We're going to surprise him."

"Well, go on, then. You don't want to be late."

I noticed Frodo grabbed Rowan's hand as the two ran off. Bilbo sat down on the bench and began smoking. I sat down next to him. Not that I liked the smoking. The smell was horrible. But I didn't really mind as long as I was with him. Bilbo looked at me, put his arm around me, and blew a smoke ring into the air.