Autumn
Oi! Thank you to the (2) people who have reviewed so far. I appreciate that more than you know! *hugs ???? and shirebound* This chapter is a little longer that the others, because of Gandalf. He just isists on being a big part of everything. *sigh* ;)
It was clearly fall in the Shire. The trees were heavy with leaves of gold, red, and rust, and the air had crispness to it, it smelled of fires and cider being brewed. Frodo had recently left to visit his relatives in Buckland, and Bilbo had gone with him. The day they were to arrive home, Sam was waiting, sitting on the front walk of Bag End with a mug of tea.
Eventually Frodo and Bilbo's cart pulled up, and Sam ran to meet them, knocking his drink all over the ground in the process.
"Mr. Frodo! Mr. Bilbo! I missed you!" Sam exclaimed, jumping up on the cart to give Frodo a hug.
"Really, lad? I couldn't tell," Bilbo said drolly, but he had a twinkle in his eye. He and Frodo stepped out of the cart, and Sam jumped to the ground with them, grinning.
"It's your birthday tomorrow, isn't it Mr. Frodo? And Mr. Bilbo's too?" "Yes Sam. But I don't think we'll do anything too extravagant this year. Frodo is still getting used to living here. I wouldn't want to do anything he didn't want."
Frodo blushed. "Thank you Uncle Bilbo," he whispered gratefully.
"However," Bilbo continued, "I don't see why we couldn't do a little something. How about a picnic? We could go to a lovely spot I know of near Bywater. How does that sound, Frodo?"
"That would be wonderful. Thank you Bilbo!" Frodo exclaimed, giving the older Hobbit a hug. "May Sam come too?"
"I don't see why not. Would you like to come, Samwise?"
"Yes Mr. Bilbo, sir! I'd love to. I'll have to ask my Mum though. But I'm sure she'll say yes. Let me just run home and ask her now."
"All right Sam. When you get back, you can have supper with us. Now run along."
Sam scampered away to his house, and Frodo and Bilbo went inside. When he got back they ate their supper. Afterwards, Bilbo went to his study to work. Frodo and Sam walked outside, and decided to take a stroll around Hobbiton. When they came back, it was time for Sam to go home, and for Frodo to go to bed, but both boys were very excited about the next day's picnic.
***
Frodo and Sam both woke up bright and early and met outside after breakfast, while Bilbo gathered their things. Bell, ever the generous cook, had prepared a delicious birthday picnic basket, including an amazing chocolate birthday cake for Frodo and Bilbo. As soon as everything was ready, the three Hobbits got into the cart and set off for Bilbo's picnic spot.
When they arrived, Frodo and Sam were in awe.
"Uncle Bilbo, it's beautiful!" Frodo gasped; taking in the meadow that was covered in fiery fall leaves. Autumn flowers bloomed all around, in shades of golden yellow and orange. And, best of all, there was a clear, blue lake, just deep enough for two Hobbit lads to wade in. While the two younger Hobbits explored, Bilbo set up their picnic: a loaf of freshly baked white bread, two large wedges of sharp cheese, apples, roasted pork and bacon, sweet rolls, butter, and last, but not least, the cake. After putting out three mugs of hot cider, Bilbo called the boys over and they began to eat.
Halfway into their picnic, Frodo stopped eating and was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "I think I heard a cart coming this way."
"Nonsense, lad. Nobody besides me knows about this spot, it's nearly impossible to find," Bilbo replied, taking another long sip of cider.
"Well, old friend" spoke a deep voice from behind him. "I would have to disagree with that. Wizards have a way of turning up in places where they are not expected, impossible to find or not." Bilbo turned around slowly.
"Gandalf?" When he saw it was indeed the wizard himself, he embraced him. When they parted, Gandalf spoke to the dumbstruck Baggins. "I believe it is not only your birthday today, Bilbo. Would you care to introduce me to your young companions?" Gandalf gestured towards Frodo and Sam, both of whose mouths were hanging wide open, shocked.
"Ar-Are you really Gandalf the Grey?" Asked Frodo in awe, blue eyes shining.
"Indeed I am. And you must be Frodo Baggins. It is truly a pleasure to meet you." Gandalf held out his hand, and Frodo shook it gingerly. "Bilbo tells me you are a remarkable lad."
"Frodo is my heir, Gandalf. I adopted him after...his parent's accident." Frodo's face visibly darkened at the mention of the tragedy, but he quickly perked up when Bilbo added, "and you are correct in saying he's remarkable." Bilbo squeezed Frodo's shoulder, and Frodo grinned.
"And who might this young one be?" Gandalf glanced Sam's way.
"I'm, I'm...Samwise Gamgee, sir. My gaffer is Mr. Bilbo's gardener." Sam's earlier trepidation towards Gandalf had melted away, replaced with curious awe.
"Sam is...my best friend. I met him when I moved to Bag End."
"It's wonderful to meet you Samwise." Gandalf held out his hand to Sam, who shook it enthusiastically.
For the next few hours, after Bilbo, Sam, and Frodo finished their lunch; Gandalf entertained them with stories of adventure, magic, and to Sam's expressed delight, elves. Before he left, Gandalf went back to his cart and returned with a large, marble box trimmed with golden leaves.
"I know it is not your custom to receive presents on your birthday, Frodo, but I hoped you could make an exception for me." The corners of Gandalf's mouth twitched.
"Of course Gandalf." Frodo took the box from the wizard, and looked at the top.
"It says my name in elvish! Thank you Gandalf. It's beautiful."
Bilbo laughed. "There's more inside. Open it up!"
Frodo opened the box and let out a gasp of shocked awe. Inside was a beautiful silver toy horse roughly the size of Frodo's forearm. It was wearing a handmade leather saddle, and Gandalf told him it was made of mithril, which caused Bilbo to turn an odd shade of white. Also inside was a large pile of elvish books with fine, dark leather covers, embossed with gold.
"I know you can't read the books yet, but maybe your Uncle can read them to you." Gandalf looked at Bilbo, who nodded.
"Thank you Gandalf. This is the most beautiful present anyone has ever given me!" Frodo surprised the old wizard my jumping him in a bear hug, and Gandalf's laughter echoed in the cool autumn air.
Oi! Thank you to the (2) people who have reviewed so far. I appreciate that more than you know! *hugs ???? and shirebound* This chapter is a little longer that the others, because of Gandalf. He just isists on being a big part of everything. *sigh* ;)
It was clearly fall in the Shire. The trees were heavy with leaves of gold, red, and rust, and the air had crispness to it, it smelled of fires and cider being brewed. Frodo had recently left to visit his relatives in Buckland, and Bilbo had gone with him. The day they were to arrive home, Sam was waiting, sitting on the front walk of Bag End with a mug of tea.
Eventually Frodo and Bilbo's cart pulled up, and Sam ran to meet them, knocking his drink all over the ground in the process.
"Mr. Frodo! Mr. Bilbo! I missed you!" Sam exclaimed, jumping up on the cart to give Frodo a hug.
"Really, lad? I couldn't tell," Bilbo said drolly, but he had a twinkle in his eye. He and Frodo stepped out of the cart, and Sam jumped to the ground with them, grinning.
"It's your birthday tomorrow, isn't it Mr. Frodo? And Mr. Bilbo's too?" "Yes Sam. But I don't think we'll do anything too extravagant this year. Frodo is still getting used to living here. I wouldn't want to do anything he didn't want."
Frodo blushed. "Thank you Uncle Bilbo," he whispered gratefully.
"However," Bilbo continued, "I don't see why we couldn't do a little something. How about a picnic? We could go to a lovely spot I know of near Bywater. How does that sound, Frodo?"
"That would be wonderful. Thank you Bilbo!" Frodo exclaimed, giving the older Hobbit a hug. "May Sam come too?"
"I don't see why not. Would you like to come, Samwise?"
"Yes Mr. Bilbo, sir! I'd love to. I'll have to ask my Mum though. But I'm sure she'll say yes. Let me just run home and ask her now."
"All right Sam. When you get back, you can have supper with us. Now run along."
Sam scampered away to his house, and Frodo and Bilbo went inside. When he got back they ate their supper. Afterwards, Bilbo went to his study to work. Frodo and Sam walked outside, and decided to take a stroll around Hobbiton. When they came back, it was time for Sam to go home, and for Frodo to go to bed, but both boys were very excited about the next day's picnic.
***
Frodo and Sam both woke up bright and early and met outside after breakfast, while Bilbo gathered their things. Bell, ever the generous cook, had prepared a delicious birthday picnic basket, including an amazing chocolate birthday cake for Frodo and Bilbo. As soon as everything was ready, the three Hobbits got into the cart and set off for Bilbo's picnic spot.
When they arrived, Frodo and Sam were in awe.
"Uncle Bilbo, it's beautiful!" Frodo gasped; taking in the meadow that was covered in fiery fall leaves. Autumn flowers bloomed all around, in shades of golden yellow and orange. And, best of all, there was a clear, blue lake, just deep enough for two Hobbit lads to wade in. While the two younger Hobbits explored, Bilbo set up their picnic: a loaf of freshly baked white bread, two large wedges of sharp cheese, apples, roasted pork and bacon, sweet rolls, butter, and last, but not least, the cake. After putting out three mugs of hot cider, Bilbo called the boys over and they began to eat.
Halfway into their picnic, Frodo stopped eating and was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "I think I heard a cart coming this way."
"Nonsense, lad. Nobody besides me knows about this spot, it's nearly impossible to find," Bilbo replied, taking another long sip of cider.
"Well, old friend" spoke a deep voice from behind him. "I would have to disagree with that. Wizards have a way of turning up in places where they are not expected, impossible to find or not." Bilbo turned around slowly.
"Gandalf?" When he saw it was indeed the wizard himself, he embraced him. When they parted, Gandalf spoke to the dumbstruck Baggins. "I believe it is not only your birthday today, Bilbo. Would you care to introduce me to your young companions?" Gandalf gestured towards Frodo and Sam, both of whose mouths were hanging wide open, shocked.
"Ar-Are you really Gandalf the Grey?" Asked Frodo in awe, blue eyes shining.
"Indeed I am. And you must be Frodo Baggins. It is truly a pleasure to meet you." Gandalf held out his hand, and Frodo shook it gingerly. "Bilbo tells me you are a remarkable lad."
"Frodo is my heir, Gandalf. I adopted him after...his parent's accident." Frodo's face visibly darkened at the mention of the tragedy, but he quickly perked up when Bilbo added, "and you are correct in saying he's remarkable." Bilbo squeezed Frodo's shoulder, and Frodo grinned.
"And who might this young one be?" Gandalf glanced Sam's way.
"I'm, I'm...Samwise Gamgee, sir. My gaffer is Mr. Bilbo's gardener." Sam's earlier trepidation towards Gandalf had melted away, replaced with curious awe.
"Sam is...my best friend. I met him when I moved to Bag End."
"It's wonderful to meet you Samwise." Gandalf held out his hand to Sam, who shook it enthusiastically.
For the next few hours, after Bilbo, Sam, and Frodo finished their lunch; Gandalf entertained them with stories of adventure, magic, and to Sam's expressed delight, elves. Before he left, Gandalf went back to his cart and returned with a large, marble box trimmed with golden leaves.
"I know it is not your custom to receive presents on your birthday, Frodo, but I hoped you could make an exception for me." The corners of Gandalf's mouth twitched.
"Of course Gandalf." Frodo took the box from the wizard, and looked at the top.
"It says my name in elvish! Thank you Gandalf. It's beautiful."
Bilbo laughed. "There's more inside. Open it up!"
Frodo opened the box and let out a gasp of shocked awe. Inside was a beautiful silver toy horse roughly the size of Frodo's forearm. It was wearing a handmade leather saddle, and Gandalf told him it was made of mithril, which caused Bilbo to turn an odd shade of white. Also inside was a large pile of elvish books with fine, dark leather covers, embossed with gold.
"I know you can't read the books yet, but maybe your Uncle can read them to you." Gandalf looked at Bilbo, who nodded.
"Thank you Gandalf. This is the most beautiful present anyone has ever given me!" Frodo surprised the old wizard my jumping him in a bear hug, and Gandalf's laughter echoed in the cool autumn air.