Being Bilbo Baggins' younger sister was never easy, especially when he was well known and respected through all of Hobbiton. We even shared an adventure together. Now, I had finally let go of living in Bilbo's shadow, settled down, had kids of my own and even helped Bilbo raise his nephew, Frodo Baggins. I'll never forget that one adventure...how could I? It was by far the best ordeal of my entire life, not forgetting the most dangerous too! It all started when an unexpected visitor arrived at our door...
~~~~ *60 Years Earlier* ~~~~
I walked around the house watering the plants as Bilbo sat outside puffing out of his pipe. He adored that pipe, it was the first keepsake he got from his father. I however, got the doilies. Yes, you heard right, the doilies. Not that it mattered, I was used to living in Bilbo's shadow by now. I looked out the window at Bilbo, when I saw a wizard in a grey hat approach. He talked with Bilbo, and he seemed to be uncomfortable with this wizard's conversation with him. "..good morning" I heard Bilbo say before he shut the door. "Bilbo, who was that?" I asked. He didn't answer. I sighed "Alright but remember I gotta go to our cousins house, I haven't seen the Tooks in awhile. I'll be back by supper time" I said as I grabbed my jacket and left the house. "Oh, well if it isn't Miya Baggins!" The wizard in grey smiled. "Oh, Good Morning" I smiled. "What do you mean? Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not?" He said sarcastically, "Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on? Hm?" He said as he sarcastically looked at me for an answer. "Uh..I guess all at once?" I questioned. "Just like your brother Bilbo!" he chuckled. "I see," i said clearing my throat, "Can I help you?" i asked. "That remains to be seen," he began, "I have told your brother Bilbo the same thing, I am looking for someone to share in an adventure." he said raising his eyebrow with a hopeful smile. "An..adventure? Have you tried looking for people east of Bree? I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures.." I said as I looked around. "Heh, heh, If only it were that simple" he chuckled. "Well I don't imagine I would be very good company on an adventure, so Good Morning" I said as I walked out of the gate. "To think that I should have lived to be 'Good Morning-ed' By both Belladonna Took's Son and Daughter in the one day, as if I were selling buttons at the door!" He called after me. "Pardon?" I asked, confused. "You and Bilbo have changed, and not entirely for the better Miya Baggins" he said. "Sorry but..do I know you..?" I asked. "Well you know my name, although you don't remember I belong to it," he said, "I'm Gandalf. And Gandalf means..." he looked for inspiration before finishing "..me". "You wouldn't happen to be Gandalf the wandering wizard who made such excellent fireworks...? Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. Hehe, no idea you were still in business, nor did Bilbo!" I said. "And where else should I be?" he asked in a slightly annoyed tone. "Um..Ahem.." I said, trying to avoid the question. "Well, I'm pleased to find you remember something about me...even if it's only my fireworks" he said a little glumly. "Yes. Well, that's decided. It'll very good for you both," He said as he turned to walk away, "And most amusing for me. I shall inform the others" he said. "Inform the-who? what? No. No. No- wait." Bilbo shouted out the door. I rolled my eyes as he continued, "we do not want any adventures here, thank you. Not today," he continued as he grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the house, "Not- I suggest you try Over the Hill or Across the water." he paused "Good morning" he said as he pulled me into the house with him and shut the door, before locking it. "Bilbo what th-" "Shhh!" He cut across. "Gee way to fill me in.." I mumbled to myself as I hung up my coat.
We then heard a scraping noise on the door. Bilbo looked out the window to see what was going on, but he got startled when Gandalf looked straight back at him. Bilbo then ran to the other window and looked out before turning to me. "He's gone now" he sighed relieved as he took a puff of his pipe. "Alright, go to cousin Took's house Miya, and be back before supper-time" he said "And if you see Gandalf, hide" he said as he grabbed his jacket. "I'm off to the market to get some fish for supper" he said as he took his basket and left the house. "Right.." I sighed as I grabbed my jacket back off the hook and walked out of the house to our cousin's house.
~~~ *2 hours later* ~~~
It was beginning to get dark outside so I waved goodbye to our cousins and walked back towards home.
As I walked up to the door, I saw a strange glowing mark on the door that looked fairly similar to a oddly shaped tree. I shrugged "Bilbo must be experimenting door paint again.." I mumbled to myself as I walked into the house and hung up my jacket. "Did you get supper at our cousin's house Miya?" Bilbo asked from the kitchen. "No, I'm actually not too hungry at the moment Bilbo" I said as I walked towards my room, only to hear the doorbell ring. "I'll get it!" Bilbo said as he walked and opened the door, only for a built up dwarf to be standing at the door. He turned to face Bilbo and bowed, "Dwalin, at your service" he said. "Hm. Uh..." Bilbo began as he tied his robe, "Bilbo Baggins, at yours." The dwarf then began to walk into the house. "Do we know each other?" Bilbo asked. "No" Dwalin said as he looked at Bilbo as if he was gone crazy, before throwing his cloak on him. "Which way laddie? Is it down here?" He asked as he roamed the halls. "Is what down where?" Bilbo asked. Dwalin then turned to Bilbo, "Supper. He said there'd be food, and lots of it" He said as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed Bilbo's supper, beginning to eat. "He- He said? Who said?" Bilbo asked.
We sat and watched as Dwalin ate Bilbo's..er..his, supper. "Mmm" he groaned as he bit into the fish, before biting off its head. "Very good, this," he smiled, "Any more?" he asked. "What? Oh, yes. yes" Bilbo said as he stood up and looked around, his eyes landing on the scones perched on the windowsill. "Ah" he said as he picked them up, and before he handed them to Dwalin, he picked two up, handing one to me, before giving Dwalin the plate. "Help yourself" Bilbo said as he drew in a nervous breath before the dwarf dug into the scones. Bilbo looked at him and groaned before speaking again. "Hmm. It's just that, um, I wasn't expecting company-" he began before he was interrupted by the doorbell ringing again. "That'll be the door" Dwalin said as he gave us a look that sent fear down our spines. I decided to go with Bilbo when he answered the door for the next while.
As we opened the door, we saw a white haired dwarf, who looked considerably older than Dwalin before us. "Balin, at your service" he said with a bow. He at least seemed more friendly than Dwalin... "Good evening" I said. "Yes. Yes it is," he began as he looked to the sky before continuing his way inside, "Though I think it might rain later." "Hm" Bilbo acknowledged. "Am I late?" Balin asked. "Late for what?" Bilbo asked, unsure of the situation at hand. Balin's head turned to Dwalin "Oh! Ha, ha!" Balin laughed, "Evening, Brother." he said as he walked towards Dwalin. They both chuckled before Dwalin spoke, "By my beard...you're shorter and wider than last we met" "Wider, not shorter" Balin said, "Sharp enough for both of us" he winked to Dwalin, while Bilbo and I looked out the door to see if anymore dwarfs were coming, before shutting the door, just in time to see the brothers head-butt each other. "Ohh..." I rubbed my head, imagining the pain that brought. "Uh, excuse me? Sorry, I hate to interrupt. But the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house." Bilbo said before the brothers walked to the pantry, completely ignoring Bilbo. I sighed and followed as Bilbo continued his rant. "Have you eaten?" Dwalin asked Balin, while filling a mug with wine as Bilbo continued "It's not that I don't like visitors. I like visitors as much as the next Hobbit. But I do like to know them before they come visiting." "What is this?" Dwalin asked Balin. "I don't know I think it's cheese, gone blue" Balin replied. "It's riddled with mold." Dwalin said before flinging it over his shoulder. "The thing is," Bilbo began again, "I don't know either of you. Not in the slightest. I don't mean to be blunt, but I had to speak my mind. I'm sorry" Bilbo said raising his hands. "You think-?" Balin began before they stopped talking and turned to Bilbo. "Apology accepted" Balin smiled at Bilbo before he turned back to the pantry with Dwalin.
The doorbell then rang for the third time. "I'll get it! I called to Bilbo as I pulled open the door to see a blonde dwarf, and a slightly handsome dark haired dwarf. "Fili" the blonde introduced. "And Kili" the dark haired one finished "At your service" they said in unison. I couldn't help but giggle in response. "You must be !" Kili said as he smiled at me. "B-Baggins actually.." I whispered as Bilbo came up to the door "Nope! You can't come in. You've come to the wrong house." Bilbo said as he tried to shut the door, before Kili stopped him with his hand. "What? Has it been cancelled?" Kili asked. "No one told us" Fili said as he looked to Kili, then Bilbo. "No, nothing's been cancelled" Bilbo said. "That's a relief" Kili said as he pushed his way through the door, Fili close behind. "Careful with these, I just had them sharpened" Fili said as he unloaded his weapons onto Bilbo. I decided to walk around, trying to converse with the other dwarves.
"H-Hi" I said to Kili. "Hey," he smiled "It's nice, this place. Did you do it yourselves?" He asked me as he used our mother's glory box to pull the dirt off his boots. "What? No, it's been in the family for years" Bilbo cut across, earning another sigh from me, to Kili's attention. "That's my mother's glory box, Can you please not do that?" Bilbo asked Kili as he sent a smirk my way before walking off with Dwalin, Fili not far behind.
I could tell at that moment it was going to be a long evening...