Chapter 2: Concerning Hobbits

The screen scanned over a map while a voice that sounded like Bilbo's said the date was September 22 1400 by shire reckoning.

"1400!" Bilbo exclaimed, "but that would make me 111 in this future if this is about me.

Kili looked confused, "How old are you now?"

"50," Bilbo replied, still frowning thoughtfully at the new information they had just received.

"But that makes you a child!" Fili exclaimed, his eyes had gone wide with concern as he looked in Bilbo's direction. He swerved toward his uncle, "Did you have any idea how young he was." Fili demanded angrily.

Thorin's eyebrows kept rising as Bilbo sputtered. Thorin chuckled in amusement. "Hobbits age differently than dwarves, nephew. Their lifespans aren't as long so Bilbo is of age to be here."

"Exactly," Bilbo finally managed to sputter out, "I'm considered respectably middle aged, thank you very much!"

Bilbo gave a huff and turned back to the screen with his brow furrowed. "That's why I'm confused about the story starting in 1400; hobbits don't generally live that long. Even if by some miracle I'm still alive at that age, I can't be functioning well, can I?"

The room was silent. Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin all exchanged looks: didn't the narrator earlier mention that the ring gave Gollum unnatural long life? This didn't look good.

Nori noticed their exchange of looks. He had a feeling he knew what they were thinking.

The screen showed Bag end.

Bilbo sighed. Home. He loved the company, but he missed his cozy hobbit hole. "I'm not sure if I told you this, but you have a lovely home," Gloin said.

"And great food." Bombur added rubbing his stomach.

"Thank you," Bilbo nodded.

"The Fellowship of the Ring" appears on the screen

"Well that sounds interesting," Oin said thoughtfully, "It seems that this future certainly does center around the ring."

"Well if Bilbo has the ring, it only makes sense that something would have to be done about it soon enough," Dori said, "What concerns me is what the ring could have done to Bilbo after all this time. That ring corrupts and no one can fight its power for that long. You saw what it did to that Gollum creature, and I'm sure you recall that the rings that weren't even the ring of power created the Nazgul." The feeling in the room darkened considerably.

Bilbo tilted his head curiously, what on earth was a Nazgul?

The screen shows Bilbo next to a cozy fire. It shows that he is writing a book. He decides to start concerning Hobbits.

"You look old Mister Boggins!" Kili exclaimed while Fili nodded. Bilbo just rolled his eyes with a smile.

"He also looks perfectly untouched by the darkness." Thorin said stunned, "He can't possibly still have the one ring. That ring corrupts and twists. Perhaps he just has a particularly long lifespan."

The others nodded. They were relieved that Bilbo had not been twisted and controlled by the ring, but that also begged the question of what happened to the ring.

"Hobbits have been farming in the four Farthings of the Shire for many hundreds of years." The screen shows a hobbit pulling a pig. They are quite content to be ignored. A knock is heard at the door and Bilbo calls "Frodo! Someone at the door."

"Who's Frodo?" Balin asked Bilbo curiously.

Bilbo furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't know. Clearly whoever he is, he's living with me at Baggend in the future so probably a relative."

"Maybe he's your son!" Gloin jumped in excitedly. "We should introduce your son and my son! My Gimli would probably love to have a hobbit friend."

Bilbo shifted uncomfortably trying not to blush. He had actually stopped seriously thinking of marriage and family a few years ago. Did this mean he would have a family after all?

"Well we won't find out unless we let the story continue," he finally said with a small smile.

"It has been remarked that Hobbits only real passion is for food." The screen shows a Hobbit girl trying to a kiss a man who is distracted by food.

"Now that's my kind of people," Bombur declared, patting his stomach, as the rest of the company laughed at that scene.

Bilbo grinned, "Hobbits really do love their food. We eat six full course meals a day!"

Everyone stared at Bilbo, even Bombur looked shocked.

Thorin looked uncomfortable as he asked, "How can you eat so much? Hobbits seem to be a little chubbier, but you are shorter and you're nowhere near as big as Bombur who eats a lot, but not that much.

Bilbo looked around thoughtfully. "Hobbits have a very high metabolism so we need to eat more to—"

"Have we been starving you this entire time!" Kili suddenly broke in, voice shaking.

Bilbo looked at him startled looking like a deer in the headlights. The entire company actually looked devastated.

"No, no!" Bilbo tried to assure them quickly feeling uncomfortable. "Hobbits do need more food to keep up with their metabolism, but we are also really good at adapting to new circumstances. It was really hard for me the first couple of weeks because I felt really weak and tired all the time just from the lack of nutrition, but I adjusted and I picked up food to snack on the road. Hobbits learn young about anything edible that can be found in plants. Our metabolism makes that an absolutely necessary skill for survival. Bilbo knew he was babbling, but he really didn't like how devastated this made everyone look, even Thorin looked upset.

"Basically, you had to fend for yourself because we, the company, did not even help provide your most basic needs." Thorin finally said darkly.

Several of the company were thinking back to the first couple of weeks after Bilbo had joined them. Bilbo had been very pale and slow. They often had to tell him to speed up. There were also several times where his legs and arms seemed too shaky when he was walking or carrying anything. They all had assumed it was just that he wasn't used to any exercise, but knowing that hobbits required more nutrition than dwarves gave them a different perspective. Bilbo had to adapt to the rigors of the journey without the nutrients he needed.

Bilbo squirmed uncomfortably as many of the company members scrambled up to collect plates of food for Bilbo. It was like they were trying to make up for it by burying him in food now as they all tried to hand him what they gathered.

"I'm fine!" Bilbo exclaimed. He was looking around, not sure how to respond when his eyes met Gloin's.

"Clearly we made some mistakes out of ignorance," Gloin said quietly, "That still doesn't justify it because we should have made more of an effort to understand the hobbit race as we had one in our company. Please forgive us Bilbo."

"Of course," Bilbo nodded. "I'm really all right," he protested as Oin pushed a plate of herbed potatoes, vegetables, and mutton with bread into his hands. Although he was actually hungry, so he accepted the food given to him and set out to eat with gusto.

Everyone finally settled back down and Bilbo tried to ignore that they still kept glancing at him with concern.

Bilbo continues to explain that hobbits also loved brewing ales and smoking pipeweed.

"Is Hobbit ale really good quality," Dwallin questioned Bilbo curiously.

Bilbo grinned, "It's one of the few things that make Hobbits famous. Ours is considered the best."

Dwallin nodded thoughtfully. It's too bad the company hadn't stayed long enough to try this famous ale.

Hobbits hearts truly lie in peace and quiet and good tilled earth because Hobbits love all things that grow. The screen shows hobbits playing quiet board games outside and gardening.

"It does seem very peaceful and happy in the shire." Fili said wistfully.

Thorin glanced at his nephew sadly. He really had tried to give his nephews a peaceful happy upbringing, but being in exile doesn't make that easy. They had lived in the most difficult places to live, the reject lands of other dwarves. Fili and Kili seemed carefree, but in reality, their lives weren't as care free as they liked to pretend.

Bilbo finishes that to others their lives may seem quaint, but that especially today there is nothing wrong with celebrating a simple life. A party banner is raised that says Happy Birthday Bilbo Baggins with a hobbit excitedly clapping her hands.

"Happy Birthday Mr. Boggins!" Fili and Kili both shouted so loud that Bilbo almost choked on a piece of bread that he was eating.

Bilbo rolled his eyes. "Today is not my birthday; this is simply showing my birthday in the future."

"We know," Kili pouted, "But we wanted to wish you a happy birthday since we didn't on your actual birthday.

"Yea, we should celebrate while we are here!" Fili exclaimed. "Was there any cake in that pantry?"

Bombur shook his with a smile, "No such luck."

Thorin raised a brow, his beard twitching. "Why do I feel like you two just want cake?"

Fili ducked his head and Kili pouted."Nothing wrong with that."

Bilbo couldn't help a chuckle. He really loved these two. "Let's continue watching; it looks like you will get a chance to see a real hobbit celebration soon."

There is a knock on the door and Bilbo calls "Frodo, the door! Another knock, "Where is that boy, Frodo!"

"There's that mention of Frodo again," Kili said knowingly as Bilbo blushed.