Chapter One: The Long Expected Party

Written by Carithawen

Writer's notes: This is written from the original version of the movie.

60 Years Later…

A large wooden cart slowly made its way through the edge of Hobbiton, which is indeed safe to say 'one of the most peaceful places in all Middle-Earth.' Gandalf the Grey, a old, kindly Istari wizard, held on to the reins of his weathered horse that was pulling the cart, looking around at all the green and serenity as he did so. When he heard a bird begin to sing melodically, he grinned halfly, and turned to the young Elven woman who was sitting next to him at the front of the cart. "Now, my good friend, let us see how much you have been travelling, hmm?" He gestured to the singing that rose and fell in the most harmonious of ways. "What is the name of that bird?"

The woman raised her dark green eyes, which were very peculiar for a light-haired Elf, to the surrounding trees, listening intently, her Elven ears reaching far and wide. She is quiet for a moment, listening. She then turned to Gandalf, grinning. "You offer me all of the easy questions, Mithrandir, mellon nîn." She motioned to the clear sky with her eyes. "That is a Lightfeather, a bird native to these northern regions." Gandalf chuckled lightly. "Very good, my friend. I will try not to give you so easy of questions in the future." His gaze moved ahead. "Have you been travelling with Elessar?"

She shook her head once. "I have not seen him in what seems like an age… It is so difficult to find him, sometimes… when he decides to wander into the wilderness on his own."

Gandalf turned to her. "In time, you will come across him again. I am sure of it." He winked, and grinned warmly.

At this, she grinned warmheartedly. "I will not underestimate a wizard's word, Mithrandir… but I do have my doubts nonetheless."

Gandalf nodded. "I see… Well, then, you will see who is wronged, and who is right when the time comes, my friend."

The Elf grinned once more, and turned her gaze to observe the small forest that they were slowly riding into. Strands of her long hair blew gently and softly in the weak breeze, and her thin silver headpiece occasionally twinkled in the gleaming, inviting sunlight that peaked through the trees of the forest. She turned her head once more to observe the old wizard as he began to sing gently:

Down from the door where it began,

Now far ahead the road as gone,

And I must follow if I can…

The Road goes ever on and on,

Down from the door where it began,

Now far ahead the road has gone,

And I must follow if I can.

Suddenly, a voice not belonging to Gandalf, but to a hobbit sounded in front of them. "You're late." The Elf turned to face it.

Gandalf looked up under the large brim of his pointed hat, his eyes landing on a small, young hobbit, standing on an incline on the side of the path, his arms folded across his chest.

"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins," Gandalf replied sternly. "Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." The two looked at each other for a moment, as though trying to keep a straight face. Then, as Gandalf's mouth begun to twitch, their faces both broke into sudden smiles, and they laughed richly.

Frodo jumps onto Gandalf's lap, arms outstretched. "It's wonderful to see you, Gandalf!"

Gandalf caught him, embracing him as he did so, swaying from side to side with Frodo in his arms, laughing once again. They soon broke apart, and Gandalf looked at Frodo. "You didn't think I'd miss your uncle Bilbo's birthday? Besides…" He motioned to the grinning Elf sitting next to him. "I brought someone along who has not seen your uncle in quite a while."

Frodo's gaze traveled to the Elf sitting next to him, who was dressed in her long, grey-green travel coat. His eyes lit up again, not quite remembering how comely an Elven woman looked. "Elfindel!"

Elfindel, as she was referred to by her close comrades, grinned warmly. "Frodo…" She extended her hands out to him, knowing that he was always questioning himself when the opportunity to embrace her presented itself. Frodo smiled brightly, and moved from Gandalf's arms into hers, hugging her warmly.

"What a pleasant surprise!" Frodo beamed. "Did you come all the way from Rivendell just to see us?"

"Just to see you?" Elfindel smiled. "You make it seem like it was not worth the while! I am glad that Gandalf offered to take me with him."

"And that I did," Gandalf replied, "for I knew that you, Frodo, and your friends are very fond of her."

Frodo grinned warmly at Elfindel. "And that we are." After another long moment of just looking upon her beauty, Frodo turned to Gandalf. "What news of the outside world? Tell me everything!"

"Everything?" Gandalf raised his eyebrow. "You are far too eager and curious for a Hobbit. Most unnatural..." He continues as the cart passes through a mill. "Well, what can I tell you? Life in the wide world goes on, much as it has this past age. Full of its own comings and goings. Scarcely aware of the existence of hobbits. For which I am very thankful."

A hobbit waved to the cart. "Look! It's Gandalf!" At this, Gandalf tipped his hat.

The cart moved out of a crowded marketplace, and on to the top of a slope, where he and Elfindel are given a magnificent view of the more quiet part of the Shire, which is lush, and green. Elfindel can see several hobbit-holes beneath the hills.

Gandalf looked to an open field, observing a group of twenty or so hobbits working on party preparations. Ten or so try to keep a tent up, while others carry tables and chairs. "Ah… the long expected party."

Elfindel watched as hobbits put up a banner, reading 'Happy Birthday Bilbo Baggins.' As it is raised, the hobbits cheered, and they clapped and cheered more loudly when it stayed up. The cart continued down on a grassy path through another small forest.

Gandalf turned to Frodo. "So how is the old rascal? I hear it's going to be a party of special magnificence!"

The young hobbit looked at him. "You know Bilbo. He's got the whole place in an uproar."

"Now, well, that should please him."

"Half the Shire's been invited!"

Gandalf's eyes widened slightly. "Good gracious me!"

Frodo looked out onto the hobbit holes in the distance. "…He's up to something."

Gandalf looked forward. "Hmm..." He exchanged glances with Elfindel, as if they both knew something.

Frodo observed them, folding his arms across his chest again. "All right then, keep your secrets…" He turned to Gandalf. "Before you came along, we Bagginses were very well thought of."

Gandalf looked at him. "Indeed."

"Never had any adventures or did anything unexpected."

Gandalf took his long smoking pipe from his mouth. "If you're referring to the incident with dragon, I was barely involved." He looked at Frodo, who looked back doubtfully. "All I did was give your uncle a little nudge out of the door."

Frodo laughed slightly. "Whatever you did, you've been officially labeled a disturber of the peace."

Elfindel looked at Gandalf, her eyebrow raised, as if she was chuckling inside.

"Oh, really?" Gandalf muttered after eyeing her briefly.

A hobbit by the name of Proudfoot looked to Gandalf while sweeping the front of his hobbit hole, and eyed him rather sourly.

A couple of hobbit children run down the hill to the side of the cart, following it. "Gandalf! Gandalf's here!! Gandalf!"

Soon, the hobbit children come to the road that the cart was on, and stand on it. "Fireworks, Gandalf... Gandalf! Fireworks, Gandalf..."

Gandalf remained quiet, and Elfindel turned to look at him.

The hobbit kids let out saddened whine. "Ohhhh..."

Gandalf caught Elfindel looking at him, and sighed slightly. Suddenly, spiraling fireworks fly out of the back of the wagon. The hobbit children jumped up and down, and cheered loudly. Frodo smiled to Elfindel, then to himself, then looked at Gandalf, rather amused.

Gandalf laughed wholeheartedly.

The Proudfoot hobbit began to laugh, and as he does so, his wife walked towards him, hands on her hips, and gave him a rather quelling look. His smile quickly vanished, and he adopted a grumpy expression. The cart continued trudging along, and soon came to some open woods, and slowed down.

Frodo stood up, holding onto one of the posts of the wagon. "Gandalf—" he smiled at Elfindel, "—Elfindel…" He spoke to both of them. "I'm glad you're back."

Gandalf grinned. "So are we, dear boy." Frodo jumped off the wagon, and waved as he left. "So are we."