Hi, this is my first fan-fiction ever, so please understand it will probably not be the best. Please review and tell me what you think of it! :) ~Nali
Chapter One: Frodo and Hobbiton
It was a bright sunny day as I was walking to Hobbiton. My god-father Gandalf the Grey had ridden on ahead of me. I decided to get off the wagon and walk the last few miles, soaking up the scenery… and to have time to think. "He should be there by now…" I thought to myself. Gandalf and I were going to Hobbiton to celebrate the 111th birthday of his old friend-Bilbo Baggins. "I wonder if Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry have changed much sense I saw them last." Frodo Baggins was the nephew of Bilbo, and quite frankly, I considered him a best friend. Samwise Gamgee,Peregrin Took, and Meridoc Brandybuck were all friends with Frodo and were also my childhood friends. I met them when I was about five years old. I was half-hobbit half-human, which isn't greatly praised among humans or hobbits. My parents died in a boating accident, very much like Frodo's parents did. I suppose that was part of the reason we had gotten along so well when we met the first time. Gandalf was my god-father so; he decided that for a few years I should live with the Elfish people at Rivendell for a few years. It had been right around ten years sense I had seen Frodo or the rest. I longed to see them, but I also loathed it. Frodo and Sam at age 33 had become of age sense then. I, however as it comes to hobbit standards was a little child at age 19. Half the age of Sam and Frodo. But if you went by human standards, I was considered an adult, or at least, not a child.
As I was thinking these things, I came into Hobbiton. I looked around. Everything was just the way I had left it. Beautiful, as always. I walked for a few hundred feet, greeting a few hobbits walking here and there. It wasn't until I got to a certain spot in the road, not too far away from where Frodo's uncle Bilbo lived, that I heard a voice yelling "Jewel? Jewel, is it you?" I turned to my left to see the familiar shape of Frodo Baggins running towards me."Frodo! Long time no see!" I replied to him as he had just come to my side. He nodded his head and said "Yeah, I just saw Gandalf about 15 minutes ago, I suspect he's off to Bilbo's house… their up to something." I laughed and replied "Yeah, I know. Gandalf has been acting sort of… erm… stranger than usual lately, I don't know what's up. I guess we'll find out at the party tonight." "You're going?" "Why sound so surprised! Why else would I come all the way from Rivendell to Hobbiton? Of course I'm coming to the party tonight!" Frodo, who was walking with me seemed pleased and after a minute asked, "Have you seen Sam or the rest yet?" "No," I admitted to him, "I had wanted to try and see you first, so I thought you must be somewhere around Bilbo's house, as you always did love spending time with him. I turned out to be correct!" He smiled and then said "Well, unless you want to surprise the rest at the party, which wouldn't give you too much time to spend with them privately, I suggest you and I go surprise them as soon as possible!" "Alright," I agreed with him "Where do you suppose they are?" "Hmm… Knowing Merry and Pippin, I'd suggest looking in a field, their never too far away from food you'll remember, but Sam, he usually stays wherever Rosie is." "Rosie?" I asked, not knowing that name, "You remember, Rosie Cotton, Sam's neighbor?" I giggled remembering. Sam had always had a crush on Rosie; it was so adorable because he'd always go red in the face whenever she spoke to him. "Yes, I remember," I answered, still giggling. "Where do you suppose all three of them are, though?" Frodo thought a minute and then replied, "I suppose they'll be helping get ready for the party, after all, Rosie will probably be there, and Merry and Pippin will be wanting to 'taste test' some of the food. I think the party is our best bet. We will be able to find them alone, sure enough."
Sure enough, just like Frodo said, all three of our friends were getting ready for the party. Not too many people were there, just about 30 or so. Just enough to get the tables, chairs, tents, and some of the food prepared. Merry and Pippin, just like Frodo foretold was sneaking bits and pieces of the food until Mrs. Brandybuck finally told them to skat and get the blazers out of here. Sam on the other hand, was helping Rosie set the tables… and loving every minute of it. Rosie waved to me while Sam was off getting something Rosie had asked for, and then I walked over to her. "Hi, your Rosie right? I'm Jewel, you may remember me, I don't know…" "Of course I remember you!" Rosie said while coming to give me a hug. "You're Jewel Sunflower, correct?" "Yes," I answered, "I lived here until I turned 10, that's when my parents drowned. Then Gandalf my godfather decided I should move to Rivendell." "Ah…" Rosie said after a pause, "I was sorry to hear about them, but on to a pleasant subject. I suppose you'll want Sam to yourself, then?" "Yes, if you can spare him." I replied. A moment later Sam came out of a tent saying "Rosie their out of plates, you'll have to go ask your mum for some mor-" At that moment, he realized who was standing next to her. "Jewel!" he exclaimed as he started running towards me and then giving me a hug. Frodo, who had been a few feet behind me saw and heard everything and was smiling the whole time. "Merry, Pippin! Come look who we have here!" Pippen and Merry, who had snuck back to try and sample a piece of one of the many cakes that were coming fast and sure, jumped in surprise that they were being called. They obviously thought they were caught, but Sam, Frodo, nor I thought any need to 'bust' them because it was so like them to pull little stunts like that. "Well, hello Jewel!" Merry said while Pippen said "Well, who's this strange little lass? Definitely not the little Jewel I remember seeing 9 years ago!" They both came to give me a hug. Some of the women and men who were preparing were either waving saying hello to me, or were giving me and the boys' dirty looks. It wasn't 'proper' for a girl of my age to spend so much time with boys of their ages. At least, not in hobbit standards. That was one of the many reasons why Gandalf wanted me to go to Rivendell. Not only because I was so unlike the rest of the hobbits, grant you, I still was 50% pure hobbit blood in me, but because even with that 50%, I was so unlike the rest.
"So, what are we going to do until the party starts?" Pippen asked, "There is 3 hours before we need to be back here at least." "Hmm…" Frodo said after thinking a minute, "Why don't we let Jewel decide, after all, I'm sure she's only here for a few weeks." The rest nodded in agreement and after a few minutes of careful consideration I finally said out loud "Why don't we go to the fields, where we used to play when we were little? Just because you two are 'of age'," I said looking at Frodo and Sam, "It doesn't mean we can't still have fun!" "I agree," Merry said, "We all should have fun while we can. You're it!" He said playfully hitting Sam in the arm. "Oh no you didn't just do that Meridoc Brandybuck!" Sam replied back. Then we all started running to our favorite field which was near Farmer Maggot's property who was VERY picky that NOBODY came into his field… though, when we were younger we used to always come in and steal some of his crop. Well, they would anyway. I always felt so bad to do it, I did it once, and regretted it. By the time we got there, we were panting and immediately laid down on the tall grass filled with weeds. We spent about 2 hours catching up with each other, for the rest they didn't really have much to say to each other except for recalling old times. After we caught our breath I asked Sam, "And what's this I hear about you and Rosie Cotton, Samwise Gamgee?" Sam blushed and said, "I don't know what you mean, Jewel Sunflower." "You know very well what I mean," "Fine, I've been thinking of asking Rosie to marry me…" at this I squealed, Frodo yelled, Pippen and Merry just started laughing and yelling for joy and started doing a little jig. Poor Sam, at this he was blushing terribly. He looked as red as a tomato! "I'm so excited for you Sam!" I told him, "I hope she says yes! If she doesn't, she has terrible taste." At this Sam blushed even MORE! Then Pippin and Merry started teasing Sam. "Awe leave him alone you two," Frodo told them. At that they immediately stopped. "And what about you, Jewel Sunflower," Frodo asked me, "By human standards you are 'grown up' so who do you like?" I suddenly felt my face go red. Redder and hotter than it had ever been before. "I don't like anybody…" at this all four of their faces looked stunned. "Out of ALL of the hobbits, humans, and elves that you know," Frodo said, "You don't like ONE?" I blushed even harder at this and replied, "I do like somebody, but he doesn't like me back." "How do you know he doesn't like you?" Pippin asked slowly, "I don't know, he just doesn't." "Well have you asked him?" Merry inquired, "No," I admitted sheepishly. "Then how do you know?" Frodo asked, "Guys, believe me. He doesn't. Okay? I don't really wanna talk about it…" Merry, Pippen and Sam just shrugged their shoulders, but I could tell that Frodo was suspicious. He would continue to question me.