Originally my character's name was Rosey, but I changed it to Ginger, I think I fixed all of it but if you happen to see the error please let me know! Thanks!


Chapter 2: At Your Service!

Supper time had rolled around and Bilbo had long since moved past the day's earlier events, forgetting all about Gandalf and his ridiculous adventure seeking. Ginger however, had not. She moped and pouted and sulked all through the day. She had hoped to get a taste of an adventure, even if it was just listening to the wizard's story.

"Cheer up Ginger." Bilbo said as he liberally salted his broiled fish, squeezing a fresh lemon over it as well.

"Adventures are not like in your stories, those are all made up. Real adventures don't happen that way." His words made Ginger sulk some more and she was about to bite into her own meal when there was a loud thump at the door.

"Are you expecting any company?" Bilbo asked, staring at his sister who looked just as baffled.

"Certainly not!" Ginger replied, hoping it was not another love-sick suitor out to 'change her heart'. Either way, Bilbo reluctantly removed himself from the table and went to answer the door which thumped several more times. Leaving Ginger to wait patiently for her brother to shoo the unwanted guest away before she ate. It was good manners after all...


Ginger looked up from the braided strings in her lap that she had been mindlessly twisting into her apron as heavy footsteps approached her. Surely her brother wouldn't be so upset from being interrupted from his meal.

"Bilbo don't be so cross!" Ginger scolded, "You hadn't even started eating-oh my!"

The she-hobbit nearly fell out of her seat, staring wide-eyed at a large dwarf that towered before her. His bulky shoulders were adorned in animal fur, while his bald head donned strange looking tattoos. Upon his hands appeared to be knuckle dusters that gave his already frightening appearance a dangerous look. He was strapped in leather, and lots of assorted hair on his mighty beard was a peppery black that went far past his chin, resting on his broad chest.

"Dwalin at your service." He greeted gruffly, plopping into Bilbo's seat and digging in.

"Ginger...at yours." Bilbo came tromping in, looking rather confused and annoyed. But like a good hobbit ,with good manners, and with exceptionally good standing, Bilbo sat in the far corner of the room, watching his food get devoured by his 'guest'.

Ginger went to offer her food to her brother -who loved to eat- but he quieted her.

"You go on and eat that Ginger. I can find something else." So Ginger ate, never removing her eyes from the brutish dwarf. She wondered what he was doing here. Was he lost? Perhaps he had gotten the wrong address? Then, maybe like everybody else in the world he was on an adventure?

"Excuse me , forgive me for interrupting but are you lost?" Ginger asked, watching him fling his fish bone over his shoulder.

"No." He replied in his gruff voice, motioning to Bilbo to bring more food "Ye got anymore?"

"Oh, okay...perhaps I can offer you some tea?" Dwalin stuffed his mouth with a sweet roll, ignoring Ginger while the front door went thumping again.

"That'll be the door." The dwarf grumbled through a mouth full of food. Bilbo scurried away, Ginger was left alone with Dwalin'. She could feel an exciting bubble swell in her chest and launched herself into a series of a million questions. Where are you from? How old do dwarves live? Are there more of you? Are you certain you do not wish for any tea?

None of Ginger's questions were being answered, though she didn't mind. So long as Dwalin knew she wondered about them. The dwarf stood up abruptly, searching for something more to eat, with little Ginger following right behind him continuing her endless banter.


The eldest Baggins was just opening the door and was not too happy to see another dwarf standing before him.

"Balin!" The dwarf said, much more cheerily than the previous one. "At your service!" From behind him he could hear Ginger shout in excitment,

"Another dwarf! How wonderful! Let him in Bilbo, don't be so rude!" Balin pushed his way in, greeting his brother in a dwarfish manner of knocking one's head together.

"Oh my!" Ginger gasped, looking back and forth between the two. "Does that hurt? Shall I get you something for your heads?" Balin smiled graciously at the hobbit girl and said, "That is very kind of you lassie, but it is dwarf custom to greet one in such a way." Dwalin 'humpfed' and moved into the pantry where he complained about some molding cheese.

Ginger could not help but giggle at the sight of her brother who offered an apology in being so blunt about disliking his sudden company. Whatever he had been saying went over the dwarves heads and they paid no mind but accepted his 'apology' nonetheless. Leaving poor Bilbo to sit in his confusion.

"Come Bilbo, lets make our guests welcomed." Ginger said, wedging her way around the dwarves and began grabbing rolls and cheeses off of the racks.

"Don't encourage them Ginger!" Bilbo hissed, fighting to pull the food from her hands, "It's been ages since we had guests! Quit being a dunder-head!" Snapped his sister, tugging on the basket.

"I'll take that!" Dwalin boomed, ripping the basket from the bickering siblings, winking down at the hobbit girl. "Help set the table lassie."

Ginger happily agreed, motioning Bilbo to the front door which went thumping again.

"No! No! No!" Bilbo growled, "No more dwarves! Go away! You're not welcome!"

Ginger enjoyed Dwalin and Balin's company, who were filled with stories -Balin was anyway- and she especially loved their happy-go-lucky-attitudes. Just then two more dwarves filed in, both much younger than the two that were already here. "Fili and Kili!" The two said in unison. "At your service!" The wild haired hobbit bobbed her head and curtsied politely, "Ginger at yours!"

Ginger was in a flurry, keeping up with the guests. She didn't mind the smudges or the dirt, and had no quarrel with the furniture being moved, in fact she helped! But it left Bilbo all out of sorts, running to and fro to try and set things right.


"Careful lassie, that's heavy it is. Why not let one of us manly gents give you a hand?" Fili said, beaming along with Kili who Ginger learned was his younger brother.

"I'll have you know that I am no weakling!" Ginger chided, puffing up her chest in a prideful manner-which was completely un-hobbity! Hobbits were modest creatures of the Shire, who cared little to boast.

"I've done my fair share of manual labor and can handle it quite well thank you very much!" The brothers laughed, watching her shove the table to the far side of the room. The dwarves decided they liked Ginger very much, she was a ball of spirit with a likable stubbornness. Perhaps she was a dwarf born in the wrong body?

"Cheer up Bilbo, all of the food can be replaced." Ginger said, patting her brother on his arm, trying to soothe his frantic mind. "I don't understand what they're doing here!" He whined, rubbing his aching temples. "Just go with it brother, they're very likable if you get to know them!"

Bilbo shook his head, did she honestly just say they were likable? Didn't she mind the china being broken or the silverware being blunted? After all, it was hers to inherit when she was to be married. As Bilbo mulled over his thoughts there was once again, a loud thump at the door and Bilbo looked to nearly have a cow as he stomped over to his door, wrenching it open. Oddly enough he didn't look so surprised to see an entire group of dwarves fall before him and the wicked wizard from before leaned down with a sly grin on his face.

"Oh it's you!" Ginger greeted, dancing her way -literally- over to Gandalf. "How wonderful it is to see you again Gandalf!" Bilbo could not be as gracious as his twin, whom embraced oddities as if they were her own mother.

"And it is wonderful to see you as well little Ginger!" Gandalf responded just as kindly, revealing a neatly wrapped package, tied in plain string.

"It has been some time since I've sent you a good book, and thought this would suffice." The package was large and weighed heavily, even in Ginger's toned arms. "You were my mysterious gift sender!?" Ginger was touched, she could not express her happiness enough or even begin to explain at how much Gandalf's gifts had made a difference in her rather boring childhood.

"Why yes!" Gandalf exclaimed, "No childhood is complete without a little adventure." From somewhere in the room Bilbo muttered about adventures being dirty-nasty-uncomfortable-things-that-made-you-late-for-supper. Ginger paid him no mind, and continued to smile as brightly as the sun.

"I have all of the books you've given me Gandalf, and have taken very good care of them! Sadly, I must tend to our guests and be a good host, so I shall save this for later and enjoy a good story before bed!"

With a swish of her skirts Ginger went to place her beloved book in her room, dodging around all of her rowdy guests. While she was in her room, she decided to change out of her messy apron and dress which was covered in flour, grease, and other unknown substances.

"Gracious I'm a mess!" She laughed, tossing her soiled dress into a nearby hamper.

Almost all of Ginger's dresses were identical, for she didn't fret over if she was up to date on the latest styles. She only worried about her clothes being practical and simple. If she could move freely, be comfortable, and get all of her chores done in a timely manner than it was good enough for her. She did not hover over the frills and frou-frou do's, because all you could do was walk -and very slowly at that-.


Slipping into a plain dress that stopped just above her ankles, Ginger twirled to do a once over. It was a deep forest green, with the top being a cotton white that hung just off her shoulders, aligning with her collar bone. The bell was airy but not so loose that it was inappropriate, it was her favorite lounging dress, made by her mother before passing away.

Ginger flitted back into the main room, being flagged down by the nearest dwarf to dance. What was his name? Bofur? Bifur? Ori? Nori? It mattered not, she was enjoying the happy dance and spun around and around, matching the rhythm that was played all around her.

Ginger was unaware the stares she received but her brother did and he refused to see his sister be whisked away by a dwarf. Not that he had any problem with dwarves -except for now- but Ginger was a delicate hobbit, who'd never stepped foot outside the Shire. He feared what a romantic interest in a dwarf could do to his sister. Though he did admit she fit in better with dwarves than with her own kind. Still, he could not allow such an unsuitable suiting happen and he quickly ushered her away to prepare a stew.

Bilbo sighed watching his sister go. What was he to do with her?