A bent old man with grey robes and a tall pointed hat walked down Bag Shot Row. Hobbits peered out of their windows to look at him and the little lads and lasses came running out happily to see him, but they kept a safe distance all the same. They grouped together and walked slowly behind him, trying to match the tall Big Person's large steps. The old man chuckled to himself. He adored these little ones so. He spun around to face them, too quickly, it seemed, for a person of his age. They gasped in surprise. He said, "Hullo, there, all of you! Do you always follow poor old wizards who walk through the Shire?" He noticed one little lad, about 7 or 8, with reddish brown hair. "Why, hullo there, Master Samwise! How is your gaffer keeping?" Sam blushed at being singled out so as the rest of the children giggled amongst themselves.
"He's doin' well, Mister Gandalf, sir. Thank you." He responded shyly.
"Good, good! Well, give Master Gamgee my regards! Good-bye!" With that, Gandalf the Grey continued on his way to Bag End.
"He's a nice Big Person, and that's a fact." Sam said to himself.
Gandalf paused at the gate of a hobbit hole, and saw it in a different time, the time when he'd first seen this round green door. It seemed so long ago, but it wasn't really, not when compared to this whole Age of the world. His thoughts were broken by two hobbits dashing out of the door, followed a bit more reservedly by a handsome lass.
"Gandalf!" Bilbo and Frodo cried at the same time. "You're here!" Frodo said, followed by "It's so good to see you!" from Bilbo. Gandalf bent down to hug both of the enthusiastic hobbits at once.
"Oh! Look at you, Frodo, I think you've grown!" Frodo blushed. He wasn't a teenager anymore, after all. Gandalf winked at him. "Bilbo! How have you been? Had any escapades with dragons lately?"
"Oh, I've been fine, Gandalf, just fine." Bilbo said, brushing off the second question. "Now come in and tell us all about what's happening outside of the Shire." He began to lead Gandalf into Bag End. "Oh! I'm sorry, Gandalf, you remember Regina Took, don't you? She's become quite a beautiful young lass, hasn't she, eh?" Gandalf looked at Regina, and then at Frodo, who quickly looked down and blushed again. A knowing twinkle entered his eye and he smiled mischievously to himself.
"Of course I remember her! How are you, Regina? My, but you have changed since I've last seen you. Almost old enough to find yourself a young lad, aren't you? You'd think you would have found yourself one already. They must be flocking around a pretty lass like you." Frodo started and looked up when lads were mentioned. Gandalf looked at him curiously, with one bushy eyebrow raised.
"I'm doing fine, thank you, sir, and Bell is fine as well. No, no lad for me. I haven't found the right one yet. Besides, I'm still much too young." Reggie replied politely. Frodo squirmed. Gandalf simply chuckled at his discomfort and looked at Regina again.
"My goodness, but you are a Took aren't you? Though I can certainly tell you've been living with Brandybucks." He said after hearing her soft brogue. Regina laughed and nodded.
Bilbo had been busy looking back and forth between all three of them. "Well! Now that we have all been re-acquainted, let's go inside, shall we? It's just about time for tea."
"Oh, Bilbo, I'll make tea." Regina told him. "You and Frodo visit with Gandalf; you haven't seen him in such a long time."
"My dear, that would be lovely. Gandalf, you have to taste something of Reggie's, she's a wonderful cook, much better than Frodo or I, anyway. She made us breakfast, and second breakfast, this morning as well. But no, my dear lass, you go on and visit. You'll make tea tomorrow, eh?" Bilbo said and walked into the kitchen with his last words.
"It's so refreshing when young lasses can cook. Makes a good wife, don't you agree, Frodo?" Gandalf asked him, chuckling to himself. Frodo gave him a look that would have melted a lesser being than a wizard.
"I agree," He said through partly clenched teeth. He looked at Regina. "And you are a wonderful cook." Reggie had been listening to this short exchange intently and with growing amusement and embarrassment. She smiled at Frodo.
"Thank you, Frodo. You make a wonderful mushroom soup yourself, even if that is the limit of your culinary abilities."
Their conversation went from one end of the Shire to the other and extended outward into the surrounding countries. The young tweenagers couldn't get enough news of the outside world. 'Curious...' Gandalf thought, amused. 'Most un-hobbit like, so much like Bilbo and the Old Took. Ah, but these two... we'll see. I must have a small talk with Frodo later.'
After a while, Bilbo returned with tea. "Ah, here we are! Having a nice chat, are we? I'm sure Gandalf has found out more than he wanted to know about life in the Shire, which hasn't changed much at all in this past Age, I'm afraid. Ah, but that's how we like it here."
"Actually," Gandalf began. "These two were busy asking me about everything in Middle-earth."
"And I'm sure you're giving them cryptic answers like you always do. Ah, well, carry on then! I want to hear it too. Have you been to Rivendell lately?" Bilbo asked.
"I stopped in Imladris on my way here. Lord Elrond has been feeling darkness in the East, as have I, but it's nothing to worry about. The Lady Arwen, his daughter, was there. It is too bad you did not get to see her when we passed through so long ago. You would have never forgotten her. But, besides all that, life outside the Shire is much as it ever was." Gandalf finished his discourse with a small smile. Regina looked enchanted, but rather lost.
"Who are Lord Elrond and Lady Arwen, Gandalf? Bilbo has told me before that they are Elves, but what else?"
"Goodness! Another question? Elrond is the lord of Rivendell, the Last Homely House before you get to the Wild. He is very powerful and very wise. He was already so at the beginning of this Age, at the Last Alliance of Men and Elves." Regina was spellbound.
"The Last Alliance..." She murmured. Then, "And Lady Arwen?"
"Arwen is his daughter and she is very beautiful. He has two sons as well, Elladan and Elrohir." Gandalf replied.
"Elves are so enchanting! I would love to meet one." Regina sighed. The group was quiet for a moment.
"Where's my pipe?" Gandalf asked then to no one in particular. "Bilbo, do you have any Old Toby? It's been a while since I've had some."
"Certainly, Gandalf, I'll run and get it." So saying, he disappeared in the direction of one of his storage rooms.
"And Frodo, could you run and get me a pipe? I think I've broken mine."
"Of course, Gandalf. Be right back." Frodo said, looking at Reggie.
After the two hobbits had left the room, Gandalf ventured into conversation with Regina. "So, you and Frodo are close?" He asked, seemingly merely curious.
"Oh, yes. Ever since we were tiny bairns. I moved to Brandy Hall after my father remarried. Frodo was living there at the time." Regina replied neutrally.
"It's too bad he moved all the way to Hobbiton. Do you visit each other often?"
"No, well, yes, but not nearly as much as I'd like. He's very dear to me and I miss him a great deal." Regina said.
At that moment Frodo returned with a spare pipe from one direction, and Bilbo with some Old Toby from the other.
'Next I just need to get Frodo alone.' Gandalf thought. 'I'll talk to him tomorrow.'