Bilbo had peeked his head into the sitting room to see Pearl still asleep and he went to his own room to rest for the night. He woke with a start at the sound of something falling to the floor, and grabbing a robe he hurried out of his room to see what it was.
"Sorry," Pearl said sheepishly, on her knees righting the chair she had knocked over.
"What on earth were you doing?" he asked helping her to her feet.
"I wanted to see in there and I knocked that over," she said pointing first to his mother's glory box and then to the chair.
"Well this is a chair," he said motioning to it, "and this is something private."
She looked at Bilbo a moment, seeing he did not want her looking in the box, and so she nodded. "I'm sorry," she said again.
"Oh, that's alright," Bilbo said brushing her apology off; he knew there were still so many things she did not understand about life on land. "Would you like breakfast?" he asked as he stomach grumbled and she nodded.
"You use a knife to cut the food, and the fork to pick it up," she said repeating what he told her. "What do I use this for?" she asked holding a spoon.
"That is for soups," he said. "They are watery," he explained upon seeing her confusion.
She watched him as he ate, mimicking his movements as she tried a biscuit and then what he called fruit. She popped the grapes in her mouth as he showed her, and he smiled as he watched her.
"Would you like a bath?" he asked after they had finished. "Come," he said seeing she did not understand, and led her to the wooden tub near the back of the house.
"Where is the water coming from?" she asked staring at the faucet as it filled the tub.
"It comes through pipes from the river."
"This is a bath?" she asked, staring into the tub. "Do I get in?"
"Yes. Take the dress off," he said quickly when she moved to step in. "It does not get wet."
She looked down at the dress thinking it was more a hindrance than anything else. "It's warm," she said, having dipped her fingers in the water, as Bilbo helped her out of the dress.
"Yes, bath water usually is," he said trying not to look at her; wishing for his mother if only to relieve him of seeing her without clothes. Though if he were honest, she was truly very lovely. "Oh dear," he exclaimed as she fell, catching her around the waist. He looked down and saw her fin quivering on the floor.
"Why did it come back?" she asked after Bilbo helped her into the tub.
"I suppose," he said confusedly, "it was because you touched the water. How odd."
Pearl slipped under the surface and reveled in the warmth, the sea usually being much colder. Bilbo stared down at her, seeing for the first time three very small slits beneath her jaw on either side of her neck.
"She has gills," he said to himself, shaking his head as he turned away. "What am I supposed to do with a mermaid? A mermaid! How in the world do you get yourself in these situations, Bilbo Baggins?" Bilbo said as he moved through the house, finding himself in a great need for air and a smoke. He sighed comfortably as he sat on the bench outside his home, his eyes closed as he relaxed on that warm morning. He sat puffing on his pipe until a puff of smoke hit him in the face, his eyes opening as he was broken from his reverie.
Upon opening his eyes he was met with a gray clothed old man, several feet taller than himself. He stared up at the old man, who was leaning on his cane smiling down at him. "Good morning," he said, not knowing what else to say; he did not know who the large man was and why he was standing outside his gate.
"What do you mean?" the man asked boring into Bilbo with his all-too knowing eyes. "Do you mean to wish me a good morning or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it to be or not? Or perhaps you mean to say you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating this is a morning to be good on?" the man asked.
Bilbo stared up at him, closing his mouth when he realized it was open; not having the slightest idea on how to respond. "All of them at once I suppose," he said unsure, not liking the appraising look the gray man was giving him. "Can I help you?" he asked, still not knowing who he was.
"That remains to be seen," the man said quietly as he continued to stare down at Bilbo.
Bilbo wondered, a panicking thought, if the man knew of Pearl.
"I am looking for someone to share in an adventure," the man said and Bilbo nearly sighed in relief. That is until the man's words settled in his mind, and then Bilbo was left to stare up at him in appalled astonishment.
"An adventure? I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures," he said rising to his feet. "Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things," he said checking his mail, wanting the man to go away. "They make you late for dinner." He looked through his mail, humming at some of them to make it seem as though it were important, hearing a soft feminine sound drift through his window. He quickly put out his pipe, not wanting the man to know Pearl was in his house. "Well, g'morning."
"To think I should have lived to be good morninged by Belladonna Took's son as if I were selling buttons by the door."
Bilbo turned back to the man, halfway up his steps already, at his mother's name. "I beg your pardon?"
"You've changed and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins," the man said disappointedly.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Bilbo asked knowing for a fact he did not recall meeting the old man.
"You know my name, although you don't remember I belong to it. I'm Gandalf, and Gandalf means," the man stopped short as he thought a moment, "me."
"Not Gandalf the wandering wizard who made such excellent fireworks," Bilbo said realizing he did know the man. "No idea you were still in business," he said looking at the man's weathered face.
"Where else should I be?" the wizard asked, Bilbo realizing he had insulted him. "Well I am pleased to find you remember something about me, even if it's only my fireworks."
A beautiful voice, so soft and quiet yet loud enough to reach their ears was heard for a brief moment, Bilbo the only one to know where it came from. Gandalf raised his head, staring up curiously at the sound as though he too knew knew what type of creature made it.
"Well that's decided," Gandalf said turning back to Bilbo. "It'll be very good for you and most amusing for me. I shall inform the others."
Bilbo jumped at this. "Inform the who? What, no, no," he said upon remember the talk of adventure. "We do not want any adventures here, thank you, today. I suggest you try over the hill or across the water. Good morning, "Bilbo said as he hurried into his home, his back against the door. He waited a few moments before peeking through the window and was startled by Gandalf's face looking through. Bilbo hid, hoping Pearl would keep quiet, and looked back to see the wizard was gone. Bilbo's shoulders slumped in the utmost relief and he made his way towards the bath room.
"Who was outside?" Pearl asked when he entered, seeing she was sitting on the floor pressing a towel against her tail.
"Someone offering something I did not want," he told her as he helped dry her off. This time he watched as her tail, still looking as though it was melting, split into two and formed legs. "That is amazing," he said staring down at her.
He spent the rest of the day showing her some of his things as well as his parents. "What is that?" she asked pointing to a drawing of one of his long since dead relatives holding a sword. "I don't like them."
"Have you seen one?"
"A man stabbed my fin trying to catch me once, a long time ago."
"Well," Bilbo said trying to find a way to comfort her, "you won't find very many swords here. Besides," he said puffing out his chest, "I won't let anyone hurt you."
Pearl smiled at him, not knowing any better and took his word for truth. Though Bilbo was finding himself growing fond of the mermaid, teaching her all he could. He was surprised at how much she already knew, having spent many years watching those on land, though she did not always know the word for it. He realized, as this had happened for the second time, that perhaps she normally stayed awake at night; for she had been looking very tired that day and was now asleep before dinner again. Bilbo pulled a blanket over her and cooked himself a nice looking fish he'd caught, having just picked up his fork to eat when a knock sounded at the door. He hurried towards it, seeing Pearl was sitting up startled. "Go to my room," he whispered shooing her away. "Don't come out until I come get you." She nodded before moving quietly to his room, and Bilbo hoped whoever it was at the door was not nosy. Though he never would have guessed who it was visiting.
