Belladonna Took

Chapter One: Off to Bree

Staggering back in the late afternoon from Bywater a hobbit by the name of Bungo Baggins was drunk, and more than a little annoyed with himself and other matters. As he manoeuvred through the winding paths and narrow lanes of Hobbiton he had to stop himself more than what could be considered a forgivable amount of times from falling into the verge that flanked him on either side of his walk home. On one occasion he succeeded at falling into hedgerow and had to curse himself as he untangled his brown curly hair and most impressive waistcoat from the clutches of wayward and mischievous branches. It was good that he had had the consideration to take out his best walking stick for in that instance he relied heavily on its support.

Not usually much of a drinker it had been with a heavy heart, after a rather troublesome meeting with the Mayor of Michel Delving - for whose consul he so desperately wanted to be considered - that he had found himself staying for a drink or half a dozen at the Green Dragon Inn. Whilst there he had been told some rather unsettling news and it was with a strong sense of confrontation and purpose that he strode through the round green doorframe of his house; abandoned his stick at the wall by the doorframe, threw his coat off onto one of the pegs, walked into the main parlour he had designed and built for his wife - who sat as beauteous as ever darning his socks without any show of guilt in penance for her subterfuge.

"Belladonna!" He cried in outrage when in sight of her, his breath puffing out of excitement. As he was hardly ever known to be angry or drunk she looked up from her sewing once, with a curious expression of interest, before continuing to look back down at her work – as if even his yelling was beneath her level of intrigue.

"It is not respectable for a lady of your position to go off gallivanting out of the shire. Now I am aware you've had your fair share of adventures in the past but it's important to me now that you stay here and respect your duties as my wife," he let out and took a breath before continuing, "I won't hear of you going off on any more of these adventures or running off and about as and when you please." At first she did not react and he could not believe it. He had yelled at her for the first time in their short marriage and she had not reacted.
"Do you hear me?" His tone was obstinate and she looked up and raised her brows at him.

"Do I hear you Bungo Baggins?," she did not get up but set her sewing down on her lap. She was annoyed but spoke patiently as if to a child, as if it had been within her expectations to have had to deal with a matter of this kind.
"Do you hear yourself? Who are you to tell me how I can and cannot please? Where to go and who to see," it was then that she felt herself becoming incensed: "why that's none of your business!"
The impassioned Took within her had the inclination to throw his socks at him but she remained seated and settled instead for keeping her eyes locked on his within an expression of disbelief.

"As your husband I've every right to make it my business and as part of that right well," Bungo paused and was unsure if he should continue. Angry though he was, even the drunkest sides of him knew better than to argue with his wife.
However seeing her sat so still and proud before him; looking so lovely with her soft skin glowing with youth and beauty, her wild dark hair flowing freely over her shoulders, as perfect as she'd been the day he'd wed her, her eyes locked onto his in defiance or perhaps resentment of his actions, looking as if to say "well what?"; drove him to distraction and caused him to rush out: "well I forbid you to go!"

There a pause and he thought he'd bungled it out when he had not meant to. The worst still, that what he had said could not be taken back as his wife looked at him, antagonising him further with her silence before addressing his second outburst. "Forbid me? Forbid me from going where exactly? Who said I was going off anywhere?"

"You're not?" In a more sombre and reflective part of his mind this statement was received with relief, his bitter sense of disquiet calmed down, and the matter put to rest.
Still the ale fuelling his tongue continued: "Well why it is that folk down at the Green Dragon, Longo and Camillia Sackville-Baggins for two, seem to think you're off down to Bree appears to be eluding me."

An expression of sheer befuddlement came across Belladonna's face and she wondered what idiocy had corroded his brain, "to Bree? I haven't got any business to be going over to Bree."

Bungo supported himself against the fireplace and looked down at the embers smouldering in the hearth as if in shame, muttering so that she hardly heard: "it seems you haven't got much business to be getting on with here."

Still unsure what exactly he was referring to and very upset to find herself being accused and not asked Belladonna could not bring herself to consul him, even as he stood in dismay at the illusion that she was anything but happy in her life with him.

"I've got plenty to be getting on with," she said with an exasperated sigh. "And it seems a difficult husband to boot!"

She breathed and tried to take a moment but the words came flooding out:
"It occurs to me that folk down at the Green Dragon are looking to make trouble for the sake of it, and I don't care for you coming home in this state trying to make a quarrel out of the hot air that comes from some folks mouths. Now I don't abide by gossip and I am sorry to say it, but Camilla has been sore ever since my brother Isengar gave her the drop, and she doesn't ever have to look too far ahead for her trouble!"

"He gave her the drop to sail a sea and we've never heard how that turned out", Bungo let slip and peaked as her eyes flashed with a wild fury and he knew he had gone too far.

It was a sore subject that had been broached without care, and out of love for her husband she let her younger brother's disappearance fade into the backdrop of their argument. This consideration however, did not show that he had won. All vigour for a fight renewed, though she had chosen to let that statement pass, Belladonna spoke as if he had not said a word.
"I've had my share of ventures and if folks think that makes me wild then what of it? I am. But don't forget that I chose to marry you Bungo Baggins and by my father's word I'll stick to it. Tempting though it might be, I will not bound abroad every time some cotton head with too much yarn to unravel starts jabbering in your ear about what a wicked wife I am.
For in this life I have always given as good as I've got.
Now; I shall not forget that you have built me this home, and I will keep it warm for you, but I will only work as hard as you will work with me. This marriage is to be a union of equals or it is not to be any kind of marriage at all.
Now, if you will excuse yourself; I do believe that you need to take a moment to sober up and calm down." Finishing her train of speech and touching her head as she began to feel queer and ill it was with a sudden appeal that she added, "please."

Although about to speak, at her sudden appeal, Bungo nodded and went to retire from the room, wondering shamefaced of how in the world with his luck he had managed to obtain and, evidently, exhaust the heart of the remarkable Belladonna Took.

A/N Thank you for reading. Having always wondered what type of adventures other hobbits had gone on I decided to write this and explore some of the possibilities. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.