Chapter 8

The Old Hag

Two travelers with a walking stick in their hands pointed their feet towards Tuckborough as the early morning sun just crest the green hills of Hobbiton. Down the dirt path they strolled soon out distancing the last hobbit hole from the small township where Bilbo called home. The rolling hills of Hobbiton soon disappeared in the distance.

"Is Tuckborough just down this path, Bilbo?" questioned Frodo.

"Tuckborough is a good stretch of the legs, my boy. This path is long."

"Then should we not take a carriage?" asked Frodo.

"Carriages are for hobbitess and their children. A journey worth taken should be done on foot. With every step you never know what adventure lays before you or where your feet will take you. It is the excitement of never really knowing what lies over that very next hill. The road goes ever on and on." Bilbo said, then began singing his favorite traveling song. Soon Frodo joined Bilbo singing it as they both walked.

On and on they walked for most part of the day. As the afternoon approached, Bilbo placed his traveling bag on the ground and stretching his back. They made camp to eat their lunch and Bilbo told Frodo why they were going to Tuckborough and prepared him for what they were going to discuss with Paladin. Frodo grew silent while he began to worry, thinking what could happen if Paladin decided that he should live with Lobelia.

"No matter what Paladin says, I will not allow you to live with Lobelia. I would sooner take you to Rivendell until your coming of age." Bilbo said and then whispered as quietly as possible, "Besides Frodo, every hobbit knows about Lobelia and she is not well liked, not even in Tuckborough."

This made Frodo laugh when Bilbo gave him a quick wink and a grin. "Come now the road beckons."

They journeyed throughout the rest of the afternoon until seeing an apple tree where Bilbo boosted Frodo up to a branch for him to climb to get the best apples. They laughed and joked with each other while they continued their walk munching on their apples until the sky slowly darkened.

Making camp for the night, Frodo unrolled his blanket and observed Bilbo. For a hobbit his age, Bilbo was unlike any hobbit he had ever known. He did not seem to be the 90 years that he would be in the next approaching week. Some of the older Bucklanders his age would rather sit in their rocking chairs, growing more withered and old, but for Bilbo he had the look of someone half his age. Outside of his parents, Frodo admired Bilbo most of all.

Camping under the stars and their time they had spent together traveling, Frodo became even closer to his uncle. They shared so many stories together, laughing and talking with each other. For Bilbo he could no longer imagine his life without his nephew by his side and he stared up at the vastness of the blacken sky and smiled. Watching the stars, the two slowly drifted into a deep comfortable sleep.

"Frodo, wake up, my boy! The day is wasting away." Biblo said while watching Frodo stretch out his arms and yawn.

Bilbo had most of the camp already packed up, except the things for early morning breakfast. Bilbo split a sweeten bread and poured a good helping of honey on it. They sat munching and licking their fingers until the bread was gone.

A meadowlark sang to the early morning sky and brought Frodo back to his thoughts of his mother. It was going to be a joyful day if you took the time to listen. Frodo now knew in his heart that everything was going to be okay.

He quickly folded his blanket and packed it away in his bag. Picking up his walking stick he joined Bilbo while the two travelers went on their way.

When the sun was high in the sky as the afternoon began. A carriage thudded down the dirt path and Lobelia snapped the reins of her pony onward. Lobelia, Otho and her maid, Daisy sat in the carriage while it rolled towards Tuckborough. Bilbo and Frodo ducked into a nearby bush when they first saw them approach until they disappear around a bend in the road. Then they followed when they were well out of sight.

It wasn't long until they too stood at the door of the Great Smial. The door swung open and a five-year old hobbit lass bounded out from behind the door. She looked up and smiling at Frodo. My father is waiting for you in there," she pointed and continued. "My name is Pearl and you must be Frodo. My father told me that you were coming. My father is the Thain. I have a baby sister, her name is Pimpernel. Do you want to see her?" Pearl jabbered away.

"Maybe later, Pearl, But first I must see your father. Where is he?" Frodo asked.

"Come follow me, I'll take you to him." Pearl said leading the way to her father's office.

Lobelia and Otho sat facing Paladin when Bilbo and Frodo entered Paladin's study. Daisy sat in the far corner away from those who gathered.

Paladin stood and shook their hands and offered them a seat next to Lobelia and Otho. When Bilbo sat next to her, his ears kept twitching. He crossed his arms in front of him and squared his jaw to begin the proceeds.

Paladin sat down at his desk and turned to Frodo, "I have a couple questions for you Frodo, Whom do you wish to live with?"

"Why, Bilbo of course." Frodo answered.

"Why?" asked Paladin.

Frodo thought long before answering the question, "My mother once told me that she would never allow anyone who would hurt me, near me. She trusted Bilbo the most. She told me that she would never again allow me to be with Lobelia."

Bilbo smiled and looked directly at her.

"Why would your mother not allow you be with Lobelia?" he asked.

"Because Lobelia beat me with a belt across my back," Frodo said.

"That was to teach the boy a lesson. He was stealing my jewelry. His mother never taught him the difference between right and wrong," Lobelia told Paladin.

"That is not true!" shouted Frodo. "How could you say something like that about my mother?"

"Frodo is a child and only sees things through a child's thinking." Lobelia commented towards Paladin. "I am sorry Frodo, but your mother was a child herself, even she did not see her responsibilities as they were intended."

"Lobelia, you take that back. I will not sit here and listen to your lies about my mother!" Frodo turned to Paladin with pleading look. "You certainly can not believe what she is saying!"

"Frodo we are only trying to find the best possible solution in your best interest," Paladin told him.

"I know my best interest and that is with Bilbo!" Frodo demanded.

"We have yet to determine that for ourselves. Perhaps this is too painful for you, Frodo. Will you go with my daughter Pearl so we may continue this conversation? I need to hear all sides before we determine what is in your best interest. Please Frodo, go now. I will call you back so we can talk in private," Paladin instructed Frodo.

Bilbo nodded his head and said to him, "It might be better for you, Frodo. Go with Pearl now and trust me. I will make sure your interest is well represented here."

Frodo now knew what Bilbo warned him about Lobelia. Her treachery had no end. He turned and walked out with Pearl.

"Really Lobelia, you have stooped to a new low that I did not even think you capable of," Bilbo commented as he turned away from her and took Frodo's seat, sitting away from her and her husband.

"Here now, Paladin. I agree with Frodo. It is her option only as to the actions of Frodo's mother. I could bring hundreds of hobbits in here that would tell you just the opposite of what she is saying. Primula was a gentle spirit, kind and good to all who knew her."

"So kind and gentle of spirit that she blackened my eye with one punch, not to mention knocking me to the ground with that heavy blow," Lobelia told Paladin.

Daisy giggled as she remembered the incident but covered her mouth when all eyes turned towards her. She cleared her throat and crossed her legs at the knee to regain her composure.

Paladin looked at Lobelia and could still see the remains of the faded color around her eye. "So Bilbo, Primula was a kind and gentle spirit with a good right hook when the mood suited her?"

"A good mother will protect her child, when the child is in harms way. She only fought when she needed too. Primula never agreed to violence, but what bear will not attack if under her circumstance," Bilbo told him.

"Frodo was not in harm. He only received a spanking. You act like a knife was at his throat," Lobelia commented. "Something Primula should have used to raise the boy. A child with no discipline will grow up robbing and murdering."

"Well you should know ,Lobelia! Your own father could not find the discipline you needed! it is how you choose to live your life, rather than caring about your own father!" Bilbo commented.

"Don't bring my father into this, Bilbo. We are not questioning my upbringing. We are here to talk about where Frodo should live." Lobelia retorted.

Bilbo raised his eyebrow and looked her squarely into her eyes and told her, "Your upbringing is what made you the way you are. Face it Lobelia, you were spoiled, selfish and have no regards for the feelings of others!"

"That is enough from you two! Lobelia is right. We are here to talk about Frodo and what is best for Frodo. Can we get back to the conversation?" Paladin snapped at them and continued, "Lobelia, tell me about the circumstance of why you spanked Frodo and what happened after that."

"Paladin, I walked into my bedroom where Lotho and Frodo were playing. I found him stooped over all my jewelry and seconds away from putting it into his pocket. Lotho told me that Frodo took the jewelry. I had to stop him. Who would not stop a thief from stealing? I spanked Frodo to teach him a lesson and to protect my own property," Lobelia began to explain but before she could continue, Bilbo interrupted again.

"Now see here, Lobelia! If there were a thief among us, it would be you! You have stolen from me on numerous occasions," Bilbo stated, but was interrupted by Lobelia also.

"I have only taken what has belonged to me and my family. Things you refuse to give back to me. You sneaking burglar! You manage to take it away from me each and every time without ever being caught!" Lobelia stood while shouting at Bilbo.

"That is enough from you two!" shouted Paladin. "We can not continue with this if all you two do is mince words with each other. I can see that I will have to separate you both so I can hear each version separately. Let us take a few minute recess to recollect ourselves again." With that Paladin walked out of the study and into his office to pour a strong drink. This was going to take longer than he had first thought.

"Bilbo, I will not permit you talking to my wife in this manner!" Otho scolded Bilbo.

"Sit down Otho and shut up! A coward is better left in a corner licking his own backside," Bilbo shouted back at Otho, who in turn sat back down again, saying nothing. Bilbo turned to Lobelia, "If you keep weaving your spider web lies, you old hag. You will hang yourself on your own web of deceit!"

"We will see, you crazy old coot! Everyone knows you have but half a mind left!" Lobelia shouted back at him.

"Just like everyone knows your true colors and despises you for it, old hag!" Bilbo added.

"Snake!" Lobelia shouted

"Witch!" Bilbo shouted back at her

"Worm!" Lobelia snarled back at him

"Troll!" Bilbo yelled louder.

Lobelia held her hand up to stop him from commenting any further and walked to the door. Just as she went through the door, she said over her shoulder, "You vile creature!" she rushed to shut the door getting the last word in.

Otho trotter to the door to catch up with his wife, but before he could go out, Bilbo told him, "Give your wife this............." sticking out his tongue. Then he nodding that he had the last word.

Bilbo waited for Paladin to call him into the office. Daisy approached Bilbo and the two talked for sometime alone in the study.