Chapter 4: A Hobbit Vacation

After I tried to help the hobbits in locating Bilbo I made my way to his home not seeing Gandalf anywhere either. It looked like Frodo had the same idea as we both walked into the hobbit hole to see Gandalf smoking his pipe in the corner.

Frodo bent down to pick something up off the ground as I said, "Uncle Gandalf where is Master Baggins?"

"He's gone." Gandalf said regrettably turning to see what Frodo was holding as I looked too seeing a simple gold ring in his hand.

"I must go, I need answers." Gandalf said suddenly while I frowned replying, "We've only just arrived."

Gandalf grabbed an envelope letting Frodo slip the ring inside saying, "I will return, Frodo is it alright if Marina stays here until my return?"

"Of course Gandalf but I don't understand." Frodo said worried as Gandalf said, "Keep it safe, keep it hidden, no one but the two of you is to know about that ring."

Frodo and I nodded as he smiled going outside to my horse riding off into the night until Frodo and I were left with nothing but darkness. I walked over to the box on the counter walking back over to Frodo as he eyed me curiously.

"After all the excitement I didn't give you your present." I said holding it out to him as he smiled opening it to see a new pipe as well as pipeweed.

"I honestly don't know what hobbits like." I said scratching the back of my head making him laugh saying, "This will do fine, now let's set you up a room for the night."

I lied in the bed staring at the ceiling frowning lightly unable to get any sleep after the night I had. Eventually, I got up and began walking around Bilbo's house looking at all the maps he had drawn and pictures he had. I eventually came back to the picture of my mother smiling sadly towards it, despite her sleeping I could tell she was happy and that warmed my heart. I started looking at Bilbo when he was younger tilting my head in thought, in all my mom's stories he was the only hobbit she ever spoke about and only mentioned in being in the Shire one time.

"Could you be…" I whispered softly to myself but shook my head deciding to head back to the bed, if Bilbo was indeed my father surely my mother, Gandalf or he would have told me by now.


I woke up bright and early smelling delicious food cooking as I put on some clothes making my way to the kitchen to see Frodo finishing up breakfast.

"Did I sleep late?" I asked looking outside seeing the sun had barely risen while he smiled saying, "I have work to do today so I wanted to make sure you had food before I left."

I smiled thanking him as he put a full plate of food in front of me with some tea beginning to dig in, it was rare in my travels I got a proper home-cooked meal and this was most excellent.

"When do you think Gandalf will be back?" Frodo asked making me frown saying, "I'm not sure but it must have been important for him to run off as he did, don't worry I'm sure he will be back soon."

Frodo nodded giving me a small smile as he said, "Well I best be off, you're welcome to anything in the house and if you go out just make sure not to get lost."

I gave him a thumb up making him smile as he left me alone to finish my food than clean up the mess that had been made. I decided to go for a nice walk grabbing my cloak making my way outside feeling the cool spring morning whip around me.

I eventually began making my way through the forest not hearing the hustle and bustle of the hobbits at the market coming up on a beautiful spring smiling at it. I looked around not hearing any others in the area stripping out of my clothes before hopping into the fresh cool water signing content. Something I inherited from my mother was the love of being in the water, whether it was simply floating in a stream or sitting in a large bath it always felt relaxing. I began swimming around feeling the sun rays shine down through the trees closing my eyes only hearing nothing but the animals around me.

I heard a twig snap suddenly though as my instincts kicked into gear dropping down into the water saying hesitantly, "Whoever you are come out!"

It was silent for a few moments until I heard light footsteps and a head peek around a tree seeing Pippin looking down embarrassed.

"Sorry… I usually come out here… I… I wasn't peeping on you I promise." He said falling over his words making me laugh saying, "It's alright, good thing you came out or I would have had to throw my dagger and that wouldn't be pleasant for either of us."

He laughed nervously as I got to the water's edge using my finger to signal for him to turn around as he did so quickly watching his ears turn red.

I hopped out of the water quickly getting dressed again as I tapped his shoulder saying, "It's safe now."

I looked around saying, "Where is your friend, I was under the assumption you both were joined at the hip."

He laughed saying, "Merry is working with his father, and I wanted to get away from my older sisters."

"That seems fair." I said as I began making my way back towards Bag End feeling him follow behind me saying, "Where is Gandalf?"

I turned towards him saying, "He had some important business to return to and requested I stay here until he was finished."

"What kind of important business?" he asked curiously as I stopped turning towards him saying, "You're awfully short for a hobbit."

"You're trying to change the subject!" he said suspiciously as I stared at him for a moment, it was true though he was quite short, a few feet shorter than I was at least.

"A wizard never reveals his secrets not even to a lovely lady such as myself." I said seeing him roll his eyes but kept up his pace beside me saying, "I talked to Merry, he told me your mom was the elf in Bilbo's stories."

I stopped turning to him saying, "She was yes."

"Your mother was amazing, hearing how she and Bilbo outwitted the dragon and reclaiming the home of those dwarves, she was a real hero." He said excitedly making me smile sadly saying, "Yes… she really was."

We finally reached Bag End as I turned back to him again saying, "Well I'm sure I shall see you again before Gandalf returns."

I saw him smile as he began walking off replying, "I hope so."