Chapter 2: A Dandy Trip to Love.
I would tell you all about our buggy trip to Hobbiton, but it was very boring. I thought travelling would be exciting, seeing new things and meeting new people, but all there was were farmlands, farmlands and more farmlands. The bumpy buggy rides with my mother talking about nothing else but Mr. Bilbo and how she remembers him. Almost three days of travel staying at old friend's houses for rest and finally arriving in the colourful world of Hobbiton. The beautiful rolling hills dotted with doors and gardens and the silhouette of the mill in the distance, I fell in love in that instant. We rode down the hill and into a small neighbourhood of small holes. Hobbits stared at us as we went bumping down the way. We finally arrived at a small house on the end of a neighbourhood, and a hobbit maid stood at the door to greet us. "Hello!" She called. "Hullo Daisy." My mom said. Daisy was very short with very long brown curls, neatly tied with yellow ribbons. Behind her stood 5 children. "You're late." Said the tallest, a boy. "Pansy, these are my children, Nico," she pointed to the tallest. "Frico, Nica, Pica and Petunia." She pointed to each hobbit down the line. Petunia turned out to be the smallest, practically a toddler. "They are adorable." My mother breathed. "Oh, and this is my daughter, Peony." She said quickly. And then they spent the rest of the afternoon chatting of other relatives in Hobbiton and who would be attending this grand party. That's all anybody was talking about. Daisy's children were just as excited. I had to spend all that afternoon with them. They were quite nice though. The eldest, Nico was only 18, still a child, and the others, Frico was 16, Nica 11, Pica 8 and Petunia was 5. All they could talk about was Bilbo's party and something about fireworks. "Yes Peony, fireworks, Gandalf the Wizard brings them!" Pica said. "Gandalf the Wizard?" I said in disbelief. "Oh yes!" said Nica. "Hasn't seen them for a hundred years!" cried Petunia. I had never seen fireworks, but they sounded wonderful. "Are you coming to the Party, Peony?" Nica asked me. "I hope so." I said. "We're all going!" said Frico. "To the special family party too!" said Nica. "Like Lobelia." I muttered. "What?" "Nothing Frico." So I could do nothing else but think of this party. I hoped I could go.
That evening, around the supper table my mother and Daisy discussed their plan. "I'm his favourite cousin, next to Frodo of course." Daisy had said. "I can get you invitations. Don't worry." "Who's Frodo?" My mother asked. I wanted to know as well, but I said nothing. "Who, Frodo? A distant cousin, Bilbo's young heir, I believe. He lives up at Bag End with him." "Oh. You are his second favourite you say?" "Oh yes, we're very close." The evening ended on a hopeful note. The next day, my mom and I would go with Daisy to meet Bilbo.
Bag End was not far from Daisy's house. She left her children with her neighbours the Cottons. When we finally got there, I saw a huge garden, filled with flowers and vegetables, and a young lad. He looked up under his hat and waved. "Hullo Sam!" said Daisy. The lad smiled bashfully. "Hullo Mrs. Hornblower." And he continued to work. A little bell hung beside the large, green, round door, Daisy rung it. The door opened a crack, as if to see whom was there. When the eyes behind the door recognised Daisy, the door swung open to a smiling hobbit, dressed in a silk waistcoat and jacket. "My dear Daisy, how are you my love?" said the smiling hobbit. "Cousin Bilbo," she said embracing him. "I'm doing splendidly. And I've brought some new friends." She motioned to us. I took off my hat. So this was Bilbo. He looked amazingly young for someone turning 111. Nico had told me how old he was. He had a very pleasant face and laughed often. It did seem that Daisy was one of his favourites, because non-of my relatives would give my mother and I such a welcome. "Well come in, come in, and let's be properly introduced." Bilbo waved us inside. His home had a nice scent, of apple wood and peach blossoms. We hung our shawls and hats on the wall as Daisy was telling Bilbo how much her children were anxiously waiting for his party. "Only another week or so, my dear, so who are these lovely women?" my mother blushed furiously. "Well cousin, this." she pushed my mother forward. ".Is Ms. Pansy Bracegirdle from Hardbottle." Bilbo took my mother's hand and kissed it. "And this is here daughter, Peony Proudfoot, also from Hardbottle." Daisy said proudly. Bilbo smiled at me. "Wait a moment," he said. "Pansy and Peony, from Hardbottle? Where have I heard your names before?" "Cousin, this is Prothos Proudfoot's widow and only daughter." "Oh yes. I met you in Hardbottle, 50 or 60 years ago, yes." He shook my mother's hand briskly. "Well," he said. "Now that you're here, you should stay for tea. My nephew Frodo will be home soon and I'm sure he'd love to meet you." So we sat down at the dinning table and talked. Yes, I was allowed to speak, for Bilbo asked me many questions. He seemed to like speaking to me more than he did the others. Just as the water boiled, there was a bump, then the front door opened noisily. "You smell terrible Pippin!" a voice called from the hall. "Not as bad as you! Look at you, what a mess!" called another voice. Bilbo stood up. "Frodo!" he called loudly. There was laughing and "you're in for it this time Frodo!" then a boy stepped into the kitchen. He was wet and covered with mud. A pungent odour filled the room. "What in the Shire!" cried Daisy. "Frodo! What happened to you." But I started to laugh, uncontrollably, and to my delight, so did Bilbo. Pretty soon we were all laughing. "Frodo, my lad, you smell awful!" said Bilbo. Frodo stood there smiling guiltily and behind him, came 3 other lads, a little younger than Frodo, who looked slightly older than me. They were all covered in the same muck. We laughed even harder. "We were going to invite you to tea but."Bilbo said, still laughing. "We'll clean up, we won't be long!" said the biggest one. "Yah, Fatty wouldn't miss a meal!" said the smallest and youngest looking one. "We'll wait for you, but don't be long." Bilbo said. He handed a potholder and the kettle of boiling water to Frodo, who took it into one of the rooms. We continued to laugh. A while later, after more water had been boiled, the 4 lads came out again, looking, and smelling, a lot better. I had a good look at all of them as Frodo introduced them. "This is Fredegar Bolger." He pointed to the largest one, who was quite handsome without all that muck. "At your service." Fredegar bowed. "Also called Fatty!" called the smallest. "This, is Peregrin Took, also known as Pippin." Frodo pointed to the smallest one. He was the youngest. "He says to much sometimes." "Hey what about me!" said the one remaining. He was tall and had reddish brown curls. "Oh," said Frodo. "This is Meriadoc Brandybuck, also known as Merry." Merry bowed. "But who is this Bilbo?" asked Merry. "Continuing introductions," laughed Bilbo. "This is Pansy and her daughter Peony Proudfoot, from Hardbottle." "A Proudfoot?" "From Hardbottle?" "Sounds like an interesting story." Said Frodo, smiling at me. He was very handsome, I decided, very tall and fairer than the other lads were. I smiled back at him, but blushed a little. I felt like my mother. "Are you coming to the party?" Fredegar asked. "I, uh.don't, well." "Oh course they should come, and my dear." Bilbo looked at my mother. "If you were married to Prothos, than you are distant family, and are invited to my family dinner party." "Oh thank you, Mr. Baggins." She answered. "Please, just Bilbo." Frodo still held me in his gaze.
Does Frodo fancy Peony? What will happen at the party and how will Hobbiton contain their anxiousness? Be sure to read the next chapter; Chapter 3: Romp Around the Shire.
I would tell you all about our buggy trip to Hobbiton, but it was very boring. I thought travelling would be exciting, seeing new things and meeting new people, but all there was were farmlands, farmlands and more farmlands. The bumpy buggy rides with my mother talking about nothing else but Mr. Bilbo and how she remembers him. Almost three days of travel staying at old friend's houses for rest and finally arriving in the colourful world of Hobbiton. The beautiful rolling hills dotted with doors and gardens and the silhouette of the mill in the distance, I fell in love in that instant. We rode down the hill and into a small neighbourhood of small holes. Hobbits stared at us as we went bumping down the way. We finally arrived at a small house on the end of a neighbourhood, and a hobbit maid stood at the door to greet us. "Hello!" She called. "Hullo Daisy." My mom said. Daisy was very short with very long brown curls, neatly tied with yellow ribbons. Behind her stood 5 children. "You're late." Said the tallest, a boy. "Pansy, these are my children, Nico," she pointed to the tallest. "Frico, Nica, Pica and Petunia." She pointed to each hobbit down the line. Petunia turned out to be the smallest, practically a toddler. "They are adorable." My mother breathed. "Oh, and this is my daughter, Peony." She said quickly. And then they spent the rest of the afternoon chatting of other relatives in Hobbiton and who would be attending this grand party. That's all anybody was talking about. Daisy's children were just as excited. I had to spend all that afternoon with them. They were quite nice though. The eldest, Nico was only 18, still a child, and the others, Frico was 16, Nica 11, Pica 8 and Petunia was 5. All they could talk about was Bilbo's party and something about fireworks. "Yes Peony, fireworks, Gandalf the Wizard brings them!" Pica said. "Gandalf the Wizard?" I said in disbelief. "Oh yes!" said Nica. "Hasn't seen them for a hundred years!" cried Petunia. I had never seen fireworks, but they sounded wonderful. "Are you coming to the Party, Peony?" Nica asked me. "I hope so." I said. "We're all going!" said Frico. "To the special family party too!" said Nica. "Like Lobelia." I muttered. "What?" "Nothing Frico." So I could do nothing else but think of this party. I hoped I could go.
That evening, around the supper table my mother and Daisy discussed their plan. "I'm his favourite cousin, next to Frodo of course." Daisy had said. "I can get you invitations. Don't worry." "Who's Frodo?" My mother asked. I wanted to know as well, but I said nothing. "Who, Frodo? A distant cousin, Bilbo's young heir, I believe. He lives up at Bag End with him." "Oh. You are his second favourite you say?" "Oh yes, we're very close." The evening ended on a hopeful note. The next day, my mom and I would go with Daisy to meet Bilbo.
Bag End was not far from Daisy's house. She left her children with her neighbours the Cottons. When we finally got there, I saw a huge garden, filled with flowers and vegetables, and a young lad. He looked up under his hat and waved. "Hullo Sam!" said Daisy. The lad smiled bashfully. "Hullo Mrs. Hornblower." And he continued to work. A little bell hung beside the large, green, round door, Daisy rung it. The door opened a crack, as if to see whom was there. When the eyes behind the door recognised Daisy, the door swung open to a smiling hobbit, dressed in a silk waistcoat and jacket. "My dear Daisy, how are you my love?" said the smiling hobbit. "Cousin Bilbo," she said embracing him. "I'm doing splendidly. And I've brought some new friends." She motioned to us. I took off my hat. So this was Bilbo. He looked amazingly young for someone turning 111. Nico had told me how old he was. He had a very pleasant face and laughed often. It did seem that Daisy was one of his favourites, because non-of my relatives would give my mother and I such a welcome. "Well come in, come in, and let's be properly introduced." Bilbo waved us inside. His home had a nice scent, of apple wood and peach blossoms. We hung our shawls and hats on the wall as Daisy was telling Bilbo how much her children were anxiously waiting for his party. "Only another week or so, my dear, so who are these lovely women?" my mother blushed furiously. "Well cousin, this." she pushed my mother forward. ".Is Ms. Pansy Bracegirdle from Hardbottle." Bilbo took my mother's hand and kissed it. "And this is here daughter, Peony Proudfoot, also from Hardbottle." Daisy said proudly. Bilbo smiled at me. "Wait a moment," he said. "Pansy and Peony, from Hardbottle? Where have I heard your names before?" "Cousin, this is Prothos Proudfoot's widow and only daughter." "Oh yes. I met you in Hardbottle, 50 or 60 years ago, yes." He shook my mother's hand briskly. "Well," he said. "Now that you're here, you should stay for tea. My nephew Frodo will be home soon and I'm sure he'd love to meet you." So we sat down at the dinning table and talked. Yes, I was allowed to speak, for Bilbo asked me many questions. He seemed to like speaking to me more than he did the others. Just as the water boiled, there was a bump, then the front door opened noisily. "You smell terrible Pippin!" a voice called from the hall. "Not as bad as you! Look at you, what a mess!" called another voice. Bilbo stood up. "Frodo!" he called loudly. There was laughing and "you're in for it this time Frodo!" then a boy stepped into the kitchen. He was wet and covered with mud. A pungent odour filled the room. "What in the Shire!" cried Daisy. "Frodo! What happened to you." But I started to laugh, uncontrollably, and to my delight, so did Bilbo. Pretty soon we were all laughing. "Frodo, my lad, you smell awful!" said Bilbo. Frodo stood there smiling guiltily and behind him, came 3 other lads, a little younger than Frodo, who looked slightly older than me. They were all covered in the same muck. We laughed even harder. "We were going to invite you to tea but."Bilbo said, still laughing. "We'll clean up, we won't be long!" said the biggest one. "Yah, Fatty wouldn't miss a meal!" said the smallest and youngest looking one. "We'll wait for you, but don't be long." Bilbo said. He handed a potholder and the kettle of boiling water to Frodo, who took it into one of the rooms. We continued to laugh. A while later, after more water had been boiled, the 4 lads came out again, looking, and smelling, a lot better. I had a good look at all of them as Frodo introduced them. "This is Fredegar Bolger." He pointed to the largest one, who was quite handsome without all that muck. "At your service." Fredegar bowed. "Also called Fatty!" called the smallest. "This, is Peregrin Took, also known as Pippin." Frodo pointed to the smallest one. He was the youngest. "He says to much sometimes." "Hey what about me!" said the one remaining. He was tall and had reddish brown curls. "Oh," said Frodo. "This is Meriadoc Brandybuck, also known as Merry." Merry bowed. "But who is this Bilbo?" asked Merry. "Continuing introductions," laughed Bilbo. "This is Pansy and her daughter Peony Proudfoot, from Hardbottle." "A Proudfoot?" "From Hardbottle?" "Sounds like an interesting story." Said Frodo, smiling at me. He was very handsome, I decided, very tall and fairer than the other lads were. I smiled back at him, but blushed a little. I felt like my mother. "Are you coming to the party?" Fredegar asked. "I, uh.don't, well." "Oh course they should come, and my dear." Bilbo looked at my mother. "If you were married to Prothos, than you are distant family, and are invited to my family dinner party." "Oh thank you, Mr. Baggins." She answered. "Please, just Bilbo." Frodo still held me in his gaze.
Does Frodo fancy Peony? What will happen at the party and how will Hobbiton contain their anxiousness? Be sure to read the next chapter; Chapter 3: Romp Around the Shire.