Chapter 8
Back to Brandy Hall
That night plans were made for Frodo's move to Bag-End. "He'll move in at the end of the month," said Saradoc as the Brandybuck's sat in Bag- End after the festival sipping tea from Bilbo's old china teacups. The children were upstairs in the rooms Bilbo always had set aside for them sleeping. "That should give us plenty of time to pack up his things."
"He will be sorely missed," Esmerelda broke in sadly.
Bilbo nodded. "It seems like a good plan to me. I need some time to organize my hole in a way that will be comfortable for a child to live here. Send me a message when you are ready to come."
"We will."
"Now you two go off to bed.there are plenty of rooms to choose from. Only not mine of course!" he laughed heartily.
"Thank you." The Brandybuck's stood after finishing the rest of their tea and headed off to bed for the night.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Frodo!"
"Mmmph." Frodo muttered as he put a pillow over his head trying to drown out the noise of his cousin Merry.
"Frodo, Frodo, Frodo, Frodo, Frodo.it's time to wake up."
"No." Frodo was too comfortable. He always slept so well at Bag-End and couldn't wait to move in. "Merry, let go of my foot!"
The younger hobbit was so impatient that he had grabbed Frodo's leg and was attempting to pull him off of the bed! "Merry!" Frodo threw a pillow at his cousin hitting Merry square in the forehead. The hit took Merry by surprise and he stepped back, his brown eye wide. The door opened to the bedroom and Bilbo stood watching the two boys with a smirk.
"Time to get up, lad. You're going to miss your breakfast and your Auntie and Uncle wanted to get an early start on the road."
Frodo growled miserably as he threw back his covers and swung his feet over the side of the bed. "Did you talk to them last night?" he asked.
Bilbo nodded as he walked over to give Frodo a kiss. "I did in deed. You will be coming to live with me at the end of the month."
Merry gasped. "The end of the month! You can't leave so soon, Frodo.I'll miss you too much! Oh.he'll be able to come and visit, won't he?"
Bilbo laughed and ruffled the little tikes' head of thick, curly hair. "Of course he will be able to come and visit you. Now go on.wash up and join us in the kitchen."
Frodo watched his Uncle leave the room before walking out with Merry. When Frodo reached the kitchen, he peered in the doorway and saw his Aunt, Uncle and Angelica (whose curly hair was down and pulled to the sides with barrets) sitting at the table. Bilbo was working at the stove and he noticed his nephew standing in the doorway silent as a church mouse. "Come on in my boy.no need to be shy."
Frodo stepped into the kitchen and joined his family at the table. "Good morning, Frodo," said Angelica with a twinkle in her blue eyes. Soon the family began eating the wonderful meal Bilbo had prepared for them. Frodo, however, wasn't hungry.
"What's the matter Frodo?" asked Merry. "You haven't touched your food!"
Bilbo turned. "Are you feeling all right?"
Frodo nodded. "I'm just not hungry."
Esmerelda and Saradoc glanced at each other. "You need food in your stomach for the long walk back," Saradoc announced.
"Can I take a walk, Uncle? I-I wanted to be alone."
Bilbo nodded. "Of course."
Frodo stood up and headed outside. "I'm sorry, Bilbo.I don't know what's gotten into him lately!" said Esmerelda.
Bilbo smiled. "I think he's a bit nervous about moving in with me."
"Oh come now, Bilbo. He loves you very much. All he ever talked about was going to live with you."
"Yes, but when the dream actually comes true it can be a bit of a shock."
Meanwhile, Frodo walked around Bag-End. He suddenly heard a clipping noise and nearly jumped a few feet. "Hello?" he asked quietly and moved along the side of the house. "Hello?" He came upon an old hobbit who was trimming one of the many rosebushes in the garden. Beside him sat another hobbit no older than three with a sun hat on and a tiny toy spade in his hand. "Good morning." Frodo greeted. The gardener whirled around, placing a hand over his heart. "Oh! Hello there."
"What are you doing?" asked Frodo.
"Triming Mr. Bilbo's rosebushes. Who might you be?"
"Frodo."
"Frodo? Frodo Baggins?" The gardener stood and took off his hat. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last! I have heard quite a bit about you! This is my son.Samwise. He just turned three this week. Say hello, son."
Sam waved his little hand at Frodo a smile spreading across his face. "What have you got there?" asked Frodo kneeling down so that he was eye- level with the young hobbit.
"Toy!" Sam replied and held the spade up.
"Are you helping your father in the garden?" Frodo asked smiling. He liked this little one.
"Help!"
"My name is Hamfast Gamgee," The gardener explained. "I live just next door."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Gamgee." Said Frodo nodding politely.
"So.here for a visit are you?"
"I just spent the night.we came for the strawberry festival."
"Right! That was a good time, wasn't it?"
Frodo nodded as Sam tugged on his pant leg. "Watch!" The toddler sat down on the grass and dug the spade into the dirt.
"Very good!" Frodo laughed.
"Frodo!" Angelica came running outside to find her cousin. "Auntie and Uncle said you HAVE to come in and eat at least ONE piece of toast before we leave. You WON'T last the entire walk without any food. Honestly.you're being so rude ignoring your Uncle Bilbo!"
Frodo scowled at her before turning back to Hamfast and Samwise. "Well.it was nice meeting you."
"Nice meetin' you as well, Mr. Frodo. See you again soon now. Have a good trip home!"
"Bye!" Sam called.
"Good bye," said Frodo waving as he followed Angelica back into Bag- End. Before they entered the hole, Frodo smiled. "Did you hear.he called me "Mr. Frodo!" I wonder why he did that!"
Angelica shrugged. "I don't know. Go inside or you're going to get into trouble."
"Will you stop pushing?" Frodo snapped as he walked through the front door.
"There you are! Where did you go off to my lad?" asked Bilbo.
"I'm sorry Uncle.I didn't mean to ignore you."
Bilbo laughed and ruffled Frodo's hair. "Nonsense. I know how you like your time alone."
Frodo threw his arms around his Uncle. "I love you, Uncle Bilbo. Thank you very very much for letting me come and live with you."
Bilbo nearly choked on tears as he hugged the lad back. "You are very welcome, my dear Frodo. Now who were you chatting with outside?"
"Mr. Gamgee, Uncle. He was very nice. Is he your gardener?"
Bilbo smiled as he brought Frodo into the kitchen and let him taste one of his freshly baked raspberry muffins. Saradoc and Esmerelda stopped their conversation when Frodo entered the kitchen. "There you are!" said Saradoc. "We were getting a bit worried."
Frodo bit into the muffin and closed his eyes letting the taste linger in his mouth. "Mmm.these are delicious!"
Bilbo grinned. "I'm glad you like them. I'll make a little bag for you to bring home.and maybe for the walk. Mmm?" he winked causing Frodo to giggle.
"Do we have to leave so soon, Uncle Saradoc?" "I'm afraid we do, Frodo. It's a long walk back to Buckland. But not to worry.you'll be at Bag-End permanently at the end of the month."
CRASH! Angelica dropped the cup she had been holding. "At the end of the month?"
Frodo nodded. "Uncle told me earlier this morning."
"B-but.that's so soon."
"Angelica." Saradoc warned. "Well! We must hit the road! Thank you very much for letting us spend the night, Bilbo."
"Anytime, Saradoc." Bilbo hugged and kissed Frodo, Merry and Angelica and helped them with their things. "I'll see you soon, Frodo!" Bilbo called from the doorway of Bag-End. Frodo turned and nodded with a smile on his face that could have lit up a dark room. Merry and Angelica waved and Bilbo watched as the Brandybucks disappeared around the bend.
That night plans were made for Frodo's move to Bag-End. "He'll move in at the end of the month," said Saradoc as the Brandybuck's sat in Bag- End after the festival sipping tea from Bilbo's old china teacups. The children were upstairs in the rooms Bilbo always had set aside for them sleeping. "That should give us plenty of time to pack up his things."
"He will be sorely missed," Esmerelda broke in sadly.
Bilbo nodded. "It seems like a good plan to me. I need some time to organize my hole in a way that will be comfortable for a child to live here. Send me a message when you are ready to come."
"We will."
"Now you two go off to bed.there are plenty of rooms to choose from. Only not mine of course!" he laughed heartily.
"Thank you." The Brandybuck's stood after finishing the rest of their tea and headed off to bed for the night.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Frodo!"
"Mmmph." Frodo muttered as he put a pillow over his head trying to drown out the noise of his cousin Merry.
"Frodo, Frodo, Frodo, Frodo, Frodo.it's time to wake up."
"No." Frodo was too comfortable. He always slept so well at Bag-End and couldn't wait to move in. "Merry, let go of my foot!"
The younger hobbit was so impatient that he had grabbed Frodo's leg and was attempting to pull him off of the bed! "Merry!" Frodo threw a pillow at his cousin hitting Merry square in the forehead. The hit took Merry by surprise and he stepped back, his brown eye wide. The door opened to the bedroom and Bilbo stood watching the two boys with a smirk.
"Time to get up, lad. You're going to miss your breakfast and your Auntie and Uncle wanted to get an early start on the road."
Frodo growled miserably as he threw back his covers and swung his feet over the side of the bed. "Did you talk to them last night?" he asked.
Bilbo nodded as he walked over to give Frodo a kiss. "I did in deed. You will be coming to live with me at the end of the month."
Merry gasped. "The end of the month! You can't leave so soon, Frodo.I'll miss you too much! Oh.he'll be able to come and visit, won't he?"
Bilbo laughed and ruffled the little tikes' head of thick, curly hair. "Of course he will be able to come and visit you. Now go on.wash up and join us in the kitchen."
Frodo watched his Uncle leave the room before walking out with Merry. When Frodo reached the kitchen, he peered in the doorway and saw his Aunt, Uncle and Angelica (whose curly hair was down and pulled to the sides with barrets) sitting at the table. Bilbo was working at the stove and he noticed his nephew standing in the doorway silent as a church mouse. "Come on in my boy.no need to be shy."
Frodo stepped into the kitchen and joined his family at the table. "Good morning, Frodo," said Angelica with a twinkle in her blue eyes. Soon the family began eating the wonderful meal Bilbo had prepared for them. Frodo, however, wasn't hungry.
"What's the matter Frodo?" asked Merry. "You haven't touched your food!"
Bilbo turned. "Are you feeling all right?"
Frodo nodded. "I'm just not hungry."
Esmerelda and Saradoc glanced at each other. "You need food in your stomach for the long walk back," Saradoc announced.
"Can I take a walk, Uncle? I-I wanted to be alone."
Bilbo nodded. "Of course."
Frodo stood up and headed outside. "I'm sorry, Bilbo.I don't know what's gotten into him lately!" said Esmerelda.
Bilbo smiled. "I think he's a bit nervous about moving in with me."
"Oh come now, Bilbo. He loves you very much. All he ever talked about was going to live with you."
"Yes, but when the dream actually comes true it can be a bit of a shock."
Meanwhile, Frodo walked around Bag-End. He suddenly heard a clipping noise and nearly jumped a few feet. "Hello?" he asked quietly and moved along the side of the house. "Hello?" He came upon an old hobbit who was trimming one of the many rosebushes in the garden. Beside him sat another hobbit no older than three with a sun hat on and a tiny toy spade in his hand. "Good morning." Frodo greeted. The gardener whirled around, placing a hand over his heart. "Oh! Hello there."
"What are you doing?" asked Frodo.
"Triming Mr. Bilbo's rosebushes. Who might you be?"
"Frodo."
"Frodo? Frodo Baggins?" The gardener stood and took off his hat. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last! I have heard quite a bit about you! This is my son.Samwise. He just turned three this week. Say hello, son."
Sam waved his little hand at Frodo a smile spreading across his face. "What have you got there?" asked Frodo kneeling down so that he was eye- level with the young hobbit.
"Toy!" Sam replied and held the spade up.
"Are you helping your father in the garden?" Frodo asked smiling. He liked this little one.
"Help!"
"My name is Hamfast Gamgee," The gardener explained. "I live just next door."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Gamgee." Said Frodo nodding politely.
"So.here for a visit are you?"
"I just spent the night.we came for the strawberry festival."
"Right! That was a good time, wasn't it?"
Frodo nodded as Sam tugged on his pant leg. "Watch!" The toddler sat down on the grass and dug the spade into the dirt.
"Very good!" Frodo laughed.
"Frodo!" Angelica came running outside to find her cousin. "Auntie and Uncle said you HAVE to come in and eat at least ONE piece of toast before we leave. You WON'T last the entire walk without any food. Honestly.you're being so rude ignoring your Uncle Bilbo!"
Frodo scowled at her before turning back to Hamfast and Samwise. "Well.it was nice meeting you."
"Nice meetin' you as well, Mr. Frodo. See you again soon now. Have a good trip home!"
"Bye!" Sam called.
"Good bye," said Frodo waving as he followed Angelica back into Bag- End. Before they entered the hole, Frodo smiled. "Did you hear.he called me "Mr. Frodo!" I wonder why he did that!"
Angelica shrugged. "I don't know. Go inside or you're going to get into trouble."
"Will you stop pushing?" Frodo snapped as he walked through the front door.
"There you are! Where did you go off to my lad?" asked Bilbo.
"I'm sorry Uncle.I didn't mean to ignore you."
Bilbo laughed and ruffled Frodo's hair. "Nonsense. I know how you like your time alone."
Frodo threw his arms around his Uncle. "I love you, Uncle Bilbo. Thank you very very much for letting me come and live with you."
Bilbo nearly choked on tears as he hugged the lad back. "You are very welcome, my dear Frodo. Now who were you chatting with outside?"
"Mr. Gamgee, Uncle. He was very nice. Is he your gardener?"
Bilbo smiled as he brought Frodo into the kitchen and let him taste one of his freshly baked raspberry muffins. Saradoc and Esmerelda stopped their conversation when Frodo entered the kitchen. "There you are!" said Saradoc. "We were getting a bit worried."
Frodo bit into the muffin and closed his eyes letting the taste linger in his mouth. "Mmm.these are delicious!"
Bilbo grinned. "I'm glad you like them. I'll make a little bag for you to bring home.and maybe for the walk. Mmm?" he winked causing Frodo to giggle.
"Do we have to leave so soon, Uncle Saradoc?" "I'm afraid we do, Frodo. It's a long walk back to Buckland. But not to worry.you'll be at Bag-End permanently at the end of the month."
CRASH! Angelica dropped the cup she had been holding. "At the end of the month?"
Frodo nodded. "Uncle told me earlier this morning."
"B-but.that's so soon."
"Angelica." Saradoc warned. "Well! We must hit the road! Thank you very much for letting us spend the night, Bilbo."
"Anytime, Saradoc." Bilbo hugged and kissed Frodo, Merry and Angelica and helped them with their things. "I'll see you soon, Frodo!" Bilbo called from the doorway of Bag-End. Frodo turned and nodded with a smile on his face that could have lit up a dark room. Merry and Angelica waved and Bilbo watched as the Brandybucks disappeared around the bend.