Chapter 12
The need to get away
Bilbo and Frodo gathered their things together the next morning for their picnic at the lake, and met young Sam at his home. "I'm going, Da!" Sam called to his father before taking a walking stick and joining the other two. It was a perfect spring day.not too hot and not too cool. The sky was a deep blue and hardly any clouds filled it. "What did you make for lunch, Mr. Bilbo?" Sam asked curiously as he peered down to inspect a golfer hole he had tripped over.
"Peanut butter and jelly sanwitches," Frodo replied. "Homemade chocolate-chip cookies, bottles of milk and water and apples."
"Mmmm.sounds good."
"So how is your father, Samwise?" Bilbo wanted to know as he adjusted his old straw sunhat.
"He's fine. He and Mam are churnin' a new batch of butter today."
"So that is your product for the spring fair?" asked Bilbo with a smile.
"In deed it is, sir! Gamgee butter is the best ever. I think my Gaffer's Gaffer gave us the recipe." Sam frowned. "Or was it my Mam's Mam?"
"Your butter always is delicious." Frodo told his friend. "It tastes the best on your Mam's fresh bread."
The three hobbits reached the lake and spread a blanket before sitting down. "Be careful of ants lads. Don't leave too many crumbs." Bilbo warned as he opened the picnic basket. It was at that moment that Frodo asked,
"Can Sam and I take a walk around the lake alone, Uncle? We'll come right back and eat later."
Bilbo frowned. "Of course, Frodo. Just be careful." He let out a loud yawn and stretched. "I think I'll take a nap while you two are gone." He lay down and used his hat as protection from the hot sun. Sam stood up and followed Frodo away.
"Is somethin' botherin' you, Mr. Frodo?" he asked curiously. "You seem a bit down."
Frodo sighed. "My cousin is coming for a visit next week." He grumbled, kicking at a random stone. Sam blinked.
"That's good, isn't it?" he asked. "You haven't seen 'em for a long time!"
"Angelica is coming," Frodo explained. "She's not just any cousin. She's." he paused. "Well.she's a girl."
Sam chuckled. "A girl, huh?"
Frodo rolled his eyes. "Yes, Sam. But she was a terror when she was younger and I can't even imagine how much of a terror she is now."
"How old is she, sir?"
"Fourteen now." He sighed.
"It won't be so bad, Mr. Frodo. I'm sure she's real excited to see you again."
Frodo turned to Sam. "Can I tell you something.with trust that you will not tell a single soul in Hobbiton or anywhere else?" he asked quietly. Sam nodded.
"You can always trust me, sir."
"Last night I found something rather odd on the fireplace mantle. It was a shiny golden ring that he kept in a glass case. I took the case down and went to inspect it.to see what was so important and he caught me."
Sam's eyes widened. "What'd he do?"
"He told me that if he ever caught me with the ring again that he'd get me into dreadful trouble!"
Sam looked startled. "That doesn't sound like your Uncle Bilbo at all. He's usually such a gentlehobbit."
"I know.I'm a little frightened. There is something not quite right about that Ring, but right now I can't figure it out."
Sam put a hand on Frodo's arm. "I wouldn' try, Mr. Frodo. It's probably dark business not meant for young hobbits like us." He glanced back at their picnic area and then turned back to Frodo. "I don' know about you, sir, but I'm hungry. Let's go back and eat."
Frodo agreed and followed Sam back to the blanket.
A/N: Foreshadowing! Foreshadowing! *giggles* I really appreciate the kind reviews. It really means a lot when you guys like my writing, especially when I come up with these chapters at the spur of the moment. A lot of times I'll be standing behind the register at work and jot down ideas for them (that's only when I'm REALLY bored) haha. So keep those reviews coming! Thanks!
Bilbo and Frodo gathered their things together the next morning for their picnic at the lake, and met young Sam at his home. "I'm going, Da!" Sam called to his father before taking a walking stick and joining the other two. It was a perfect spring day.not too hot and not too cool. The sky was a deep blue and hardly any clouds filled it. "What did you make for lunch, Mr. Bilbo?" Sam asked curiously as he peered down to inspect a golfer hole he had tripped over.
"Peanut butter and jelly sanwitches," Frodo replied. "Homemade chocolate-chip cookies, bottles of milk and water and apples."
"Mmmm.sounds good."
"So how is your father, Samwise?" Bilbo wanted to know as he adjusted his old straw sunhat.
"He's fine. He and Mam are churnin' a new batch of butter today."
"So that is your product for the spring fair?" asked Bilbo with a smile.
"In deed it is, sir! Gamgee butter is the best ever. I think my Gaffer's Gaffer gave us the recipe." Sam frowned. "Or was it my Mam's Mam?"
"Your butter always is delicious." Frodo told his friend. "It tastes the best on your Mam's fresh bread."
The three hobbits reached the lake and spread a blanket before sitting down. "Be careful of ants lads. Don't leave too many crumbs." Bilbo warned as he opened the picnic basket. It was at that moment that Frodo asked,
"Can Sam and I take a walk around the lake alone, Uncle? We'll come right back and eat later."
Bilbo frowned. "Of course, Frodo. Just be careful." He let out a loud yawn and stretched. "I think I'll take a nap while you two are gone." He lay down and used his hat as protection from the hot sun. Sam stood up and followed Frodo away.
"Is somethin' botherin' you, Mr. Frodo?" he asked curiously. "You seem a bit down."
Frodo sighed. "My cousin is coming for a visit next week." He grumbled, kicking at a random stone. Sam blinked.
"That's good, isn't it?" he asked. "You haven't seen 'em for a long time!"
"Angelica is coming," Frodo explained. "She's not just any cousin. She's." he paused. "Well.she's a girl."
Sam chuckled. "A girl, huh?"
Frodo rolled his eyes. "Yes, Sam. But she was a terror when she was younger and I can't even imagine how much of a terror she is now."
"How old is she, sir?"
"Fourteen now." He sighed.
"It won't be so bad, Mr. Frodo. I'm sure she's real excited to see you again."
Frodo turned to Sam. "Can I tell you something.with trust that you will not tell a single soul in Hobbiton or anywhere else?" he asked quietly. Sam nodded.
"You can always trust me, sir."
"Last night I found something rather odd on the fireplace mantle. It was a shiny golden ring that he kept in a glass case. I took the case down and went to inspect it.to see what was so important and he caught me."
Sam's eyes widened. "What'd he do?"
"He told me that if he ever caught me with the ring again that he'd get me into dreadful trouble!"
Sam looked startled. "That doesn't sound like your Uncle Bilbo at all. He's usually such a gentlehobbit."
"I know.I'm a little frightened. There is something not quite right about that Ring, but right now I can't figure it out."
Sam put a hand on Frodo's arm. "I wouldn' try, Mr. Frodo. It's probably dark business not meant for young hobbits like us." He glanced back at their picnic area and then turned back to Frodo. "I don' know about you, sir, but I'm hungry. Let's go back and eat."
Frodo agreed and followed Sam back to the blanket.
A/N: Foreshadowing! Foreshadowing! *giggles* I really appreciate the kind reviews. It really means a lot when you guys like my writing, especially when I come up with these chapters at the spur of the moment. A lot of times I'll be standing behind the register at work and jot down ideas for them (that's only when I'm REALLY bored) haha. So keep those reviews coming! Thanks!