Chapter 3: Romp Around the Shire. Tea ended and we all stood to leave. All of Frodo's friends had sat down with us. It seemed that Pippin and Merry are not from close around, like me, so they were staying at Bag End with Frodo. I was also quite delighted when Mr. Bilbo suggested that that Frodo and his friends show me around, and introduce me to other hobbits my age. "Come with us to play!" called Pippin. "We're going exploring!" explained Merry. "Say you'll come Peony!" said Frodo. I nodded and giggled. "Oh course, if it is alright with my mother." I looked at her hopefully. "Yes Peony, you may go." She said. "I will meet you back at cousin Daisy's for dinner." I curtsied as I scrambled out the door with my new friends. "Where are we going?" I asked Frodo. "We're going to get Sam first. Then we'll see." He said. "The gardener?" "Yes, jolly old Sam the gardener." Laughed Pippin. "His family has tended our garden for forty years." Said Frodo. Out in the garden, there was Sam, cutting the grass under the kitchen window where voices were heard from inside. "Sam, take a break." Called Fredegar, "We're going exploring." Sam looked up from under his hat. "Where are we going?" he stood up and wiped his hands. "To pick up Rosie first." Said Pippin. Sam nodded but he seemed to blush. "Then we're going to Carrier field to hunt for Frodo's favourites." Said Merry. "Mushrooms!" cried Pippin. "Who's Rosie?" I asked quietly to Frodo. "Who's Rosie?" he repeated, a little louder. "Rosie Cotton is Sam's lady friend." Said Pippin. "She is not!" argued Sam. "We're going to invite her anyway Sam." Frodo said calmly, hiding a smile. We all walked swiftly for the Cotton's small hole, which had a bright colourful garden out front and yellow curtains in the round windows. It was very cheery place. And so was Rosie. A tall red cheeked girl with curly hair and bright eyes. "Hullo, Hullo Sam!" she welcomed us, smiling. She wore a frilly pink dress with a white pinafore with a pink ribbon in her hair. "Hullo Rosie." Said Frodo when Sam said nothing. "Want to come mushroom hunting with us Rosie?" asked Pippin. Rosie nodded. "I'll ask my mother." And she disappeared through her door, coming out a moment later with her mother, who looked very much like Rosie only older. "Take good care of her Sam." Said Mrs. Cotton. "I will Mrs. Cotton, don't you worry." Said Sam. And off we went. "My name is Peony." I said to Rosie. "I'm Rose but everyone calls me Rosie. I really admire your dress Peony." I was startled and flattered. I looked down at my green play dress with the ruffling sleeves. "Thank you Rosie, no one has ever complimented my clothes before." I admitted, and from then on, I liked Rosie very much. We did finally get to Carrier field, but did not find any mushrooms, to Frodo's disappointment. "Someone must have been here already." He said resentfully. But his mood didn't last long. We passed away the afternoon playing games and picking wild berries. Close to suppertime, Merry, Pippin went with Fredegar, who invited them to eat with him and his family. He invited the rest of us but we had all decided to stay away longer. When the three boys had left, Frodo sat down on the log next to me. "Let us stay and talk awhile." He said. I sat down next to Frodo and Sam and Rosie together on the soft grass. Now that there were less of us, Sam and Rosie looked quite cosy. "How long are you staying in Hobbiton Peony?" asked Rosie. "I'm staying for the party," I said. "Then we will see." We talked longer about family and friends, about the party and Sam told of his Gaffer. We were all in a pleasant state of delight when Rosie looked up from our shady patch. "Oh! It must be past 8, I must be getting home or my mother will worry." She got up and Sam followed her. "I'll walk you home Rosie." Said Sam. "All right Sam," she said. "Goodbye Frodo, Goodbye Peony." "Goodbye Sam and Rosie." Said Frodo. "Goodbye Mr. Frodo, and Miss Peony, it was nice meeting you." And they left. A few minutes past, Frodo and I left for home. He would walk me to Daisy's before going to Bag End. Our walking conversation turned to our parents. "I like you mother Peony." Said Frodo. "And I like your Uncle Bilbo very much." I answered, "Frodo, why do you live with your Uncle and not your mother?" "I live with Bilbo because of the boating accident my parents were in." "When I was a small child, I lived in Brandyhall with my father and mother. They went boating and they fell in and were drowned. That's all I know. So Bilbo adopted me and brought me to live at Bag End." "I'm sorry Frodo." Was all I could say. "That's all right. I am much better." "I have had a very similar experience." I said. "About your father?" "Yes." I said. "My father drowned trying to rescue my older brother who was also drowned. So now my mother and I live all alone." Frodo nodded. He asked me about how people were in Hardbottle. I confessed that I never felt included, and he was so sweet and understanding, I told him my insecurity about my feet. To my complete surprise he said something I wouldn't have expected. We stopped walking and he took my hand. "I think you are beautiful Peony." And he even seemed a little surprised that he said that, but he didn't look embarrassed. We walked hand in hand under the stars. "Lucky is the man that walks with the light of the stars holding his hand." Frodo whispered when we reached Daisy's hole. He stood very close. I looked up into his beautiful blue eyes and we were locked in the moment. He was moving his eyes closer; they got bigger in my view and more intense as every detail into focus, until we almost touched. "PEONY! Peony! Are you there! Oh, there you are." My mother came running out the door and ran up to us. "I was just bringing her home Mrs. Bracegirdle." Stammered Frodo. "No, no darling. I knew that she was with you and I didn't worry. But why so late, it is close to 10 o'clock." She said. "I will explain inside. Goodbye Frodo." I said. "Goodnight Peony." And he walked briskly down the path. "What were you doing?" My mother asked calmly when we went into the dark kitchen. "We were talking. Aren't you happy for me." I was close to tears. "About what, do you mean." she looked me in the eye. Despite my tears, I smiled through them. She nodded slowly. "He is a nice boy." She said. "I am happy for you." We embraced and she wished me her best.

Many days past like before. Frodo would invite me to come to play; sometimes everyone would come, sometimes just Sam and Rosie, or Pippin and Merry, every time we went farther into the fields or the woods, visiting friends far away. We had picnics under trees, but Frodo and I were not alone again throughout that time.