Chapter 10
The Family Reunion
Frodo sat at one of the picnic tables, leaning his chin in his palm. The fields behind and in front of Brandy Hall were packed.it was 7:30 in the evening and the family reunion had begun. Half of the hobbits who were here Frodo didn't even recognize. Bilbo stood to one side talking with Dora and Dudo Baggins.Frodo's father's brother and sister and he saw the two of them glance over.
"Looking more like his father each day," Dora whispered with a smile.
"He has a bit of both in him, I think." Dudo added. "The thinness is definitely a trait on his mother's side."
Merry came up behind Frodo and sat downn on the bench. "Why aren't you playing with us, Frodo?" he asked. "Merimas and Mellilot are organizing a game of tug of war. They said you could join in if you wished."
Frodo shrugged. "I wish I was inside. I don't feel much like partying."
Merry frowned. "Are you sad, Frodo?"
Frodo was amazed at the seriousness of Merry's tone. "Oh no.I just."
"Then come and play! You'll have loads of fun.don't you want to see Mentha going into the mud?"
Frodo's eyes lit up suddenly and he grinned. "Do I! Lead the way, cousin." Merry dragged Frodo away into the crowd. Bilbo smiled after them as he sipped from his mug of ale and then saw a disgusting sight. Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, her husband Otho and their son Lotho had just arrived and were heading towards him. Dora placed a hand on Bilbo's shoulder.
"Don't run.it'll only make things worse."
"What is this I hear about Frodo being the heir of Bag-End?" Lobelia snapped. "I demand an explination!"
"Here we go." Mumbled Dudo.
Pearl wandered amongst the tables filled with foods of all types, searching for any free lads who might yearn for feminine affection. She caught sight of Peregrin just as the little hobbit was attemping to climb onto one of the tables-clearly reaching for a snack, and she ran to him. "Pippin!"
Pippin slipped and cried out as he nearly fell backwards, but she caught him. "What were you doing?" Pearl gasped once she'd steadied the toddler.
"I wanted a snack," Pippin told her.
"But you could have found Mama or Papa.you're too little to be climbing up there."
Pippin hugged her. "But you always save me," he whispered, causing a lump to form in Pearl's throat.
"Yes my dear Pippin.I am always here to save you." She whispered back.
"Can I play with you? Merry and Frodo went off with some older lads and."
"Of course. Come along, you.I hear there is a splended game of badmitten going on in back, and Pimpernel was the first to join in!" They headed off.
Frodo stood beside Merry and the two hobbits were cheering Merimas and Melliot on as they were in competetion with Lily and Merialla. It wasn't until Frodo saw Bilbo walk by that he decided to abandon the game. "I'll be back in a minute, Merry." Frodo promised as he hurried off after his Uncle. Eventually he saw Bilbo sit down and lean against a tree far from the crowd and cover his face with one hand.clearly the old hobbit was in tears. "Bilbo?" Frodo asked as he approached Bilbo who immediately took out his handkerchief.
"Oh lad.I didn't mean to pull you away." Bilbo sniffed.
"What in the name of the Shire is the matter?" Frodo asked, sitting down beside Bilbo. Immediately, Bilbo drew Frodo into a tight hug.
"I love you so much, lad. I never want you to think that I don't."
"What are you talking about?" Frodo asked. Then he understood. "Lobelia.she upset you again, didn't she? Uncle.you musn't get worked up over it.I know she is quite the wicked one but she is just jealous." Frodo wiped the tears from Bilbo's cheeks, just as a mother would do and hugged him again.
"I know I shouldn't get worked up, Frodo." Bilbo replied. "I just.she gets under my skin sometimes." He gave Frodo another hug. "Go on and play with your cousins."
Frodo shook his head. "No.I want to be with you. Come on.let's go inside.I don't really care to be around all of these people anyway. Auntie Esme and Uncle Saradoc will understand."
Bilbo frowned. "All right, Frodo." He lifted the tweenager into his arms and the two of them made their way back into Brandy Hall. 'So much for the party,' Frodo thought as he watched the festivities from his Uncle's shoulders.
Frodo sat at one of the picnic tables, leaning his chin in his palm. The fields behind and in front of Brandy Hall were packed.it was 7:30 in the evening and the family reunion had begun. Half of the hobbits who were here Frodo didn't even recognize. Bilbo stood to one side talking with Dora and Dudo Baggins.Frodo's father's brother and sister and he saw the two of them glance over.
"Looking more like his father each day," Dora whispered with a smile.
"He has a bit of both in him, I think." Dudo added. "The thinness is definitely a trait on his mother's side."
Merry came up behind Frodo and sat downn on the bench. "Why aren't you playing with us, Frodo?" he asked. "Merimas and Mellilot are organizing a game of tug of war. They said you could join in if you wished."
Frodo shrugged. "I wish I was inside. I don't feel much like partying."
Merry frowned. "Are you sad, Frodo?"
Frodo was amazed at the seriousness of Merry's tone. "Oh no.I just."
"Then come and play! You'll have loads of fun.don't you want to see Mentha going into the mud?"
Frodo's eyes lit up suddenly and he grinned. "Do I! Lead the way, cousin." Merry dragged Frodo away into the crowd. Bilbo smiled after them as he sipped from his mug of ale and then saw a disgusting sight. Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, her husband Otho and their son Lotho had just arrived and were heading towards him. Dora placed a hand on Bilbo's shoulder.
"Don't run.it'll only make things worse."
"What is this I hear about Frodo being the heir of Bag-End?" Lobelia snapped. "I demand an explination!"
"Here we go." Mumbled Dudo.
Pearl wandered amongst the tables filled with foods of all types, searching for any free lads who might yearn for feminine affection. She caught sight of Peregrin just as the little hobbit was attemping to climb onto one of the tables-clearly reaching for a snack, and she ran to him. "Pippin!"
Pippin slipped and cried out as he nearly fell backwards, but she caught him. "What were you doing?" Pearl gasped once she'd steadied the toddler.
"I wanted a snack," Pippin told her.
"But you could have found Mama or Papa.you're too little to be climbing up there."
Pippin hugged her. "But you always save me," he whispered, causing a lump to form in Pearl's throat.
"Yes my dear Pippin.I am always here to save you." She whispered back.
"Can I play with you? Merry and Frodo went off with some older lads and."
"Of course. Come along, you.I hear there is a splended game of badmitten going on in back, and Pimpernel was the first to join in!" They headed off.
Frodo stood beside Merry and the two hobbits were cheering Merimas and Melliot on as they were in competetion with Lily and Merialla. It wasn't until Frodo saw Bilbo walk by that he decided to abandon the game. "I'll be back in a minute, Merry." Frodo promised as he hurried off after his Uncle. Eventually he saw Bilbo sit down and lean against a tree far from the crowd and cover his face with one hand.clearly the old hobbit was in tears. "Bilbo?" Frodo asked as he approached Bilbo who immediately took out his handkerchief.
"Oh lad.I didn't mean to pull you away." Bilbo sniffed.
"What in the name of the Shire is the matter?" Frodo asked, sitting down beside Bilbo. Immediately, Bilbo drew Frodo into a tight hug.
"I love you so much, lad. I never want you to think that I don't."
"What are you talking about?" Frodo asked. Then he understood. "Lobelia.she upset you again, didn't she? Uncle.you musn't get worked up over it.I know she is quite the wicked one but she is just jealous." Frodo wiped the tears from Bilbo's cheeks, just as a mother would do and hugged him again.
"I know I shouldn't get worked up, Frodo." Bilbo replied. "I just.she gets under my skin sometimes." He gave Frodo another hug. "Go on and play with your cousins."
Frodo shook his head. "No.I want to be with you. Come on.let's go inside.I don't really care to be around all of these people anyway. Auntie Esme and Uncle Saradoc will understand."
Bilbo frowned. "All right, Frodo." He lifted the tweenager into his arms and the two of them made their way back into Brandy Hall. 'So much for the party,' Frodo thought as he watched the festivities from his Uncle's shoulders.
