Disclaimer: see chapter 1
Chapter 5
I returned to Bag End early the next morning. Entering the warm and cozy kitchen, I saw Rosie bustling about. I went to the counter and picked up a knife to start dicing potatoes. Rosie glanced over at me and smiled.
"I didn't hear you come in. I'm glad you're back."
"I'm sorry about that. It's just that Master Baggins frightened me quite a bit yesterday."
"I understand. Don't fret about it too much."
The morning continued normally as if nothing had happened. I went about my duties, cleaning what little there was to clean and cooking meals.
At lunch, Rosie handed me a plate to give to Frodo. I hesitated at first, but she forced me to take it to him. I took it cautiously, not wanting to return to the study and further disturb him, but I decided that if I was going to be working there for a long time, I would have to face him sooner or later. I took the plate and walked to the back study. Carefully and as quietly as I could, I opened the door and set the plate in its usual place on the table.
"Here's your lunch, Master Baggins," I said and turned around quickly to leave.
"Please wait a moment," I heard him say. I turned to find him half seated on his stool and facing me. "It's Mirabella, right?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
I nodded slowly, unsure what to make of the situation.
"Please forgive my actions yesterday. I was not quite myself." He stood up and walked near me. I took a step back, still unsure of him. "I'm sorry for frightening you. It's just that when I saw you reading my book, something came over me. No one has ever read it before."
"Not even Master Gamgee?" I asked.
"Not even Sam," his soft voice said, calmer than it had ever been. He walked over to the bookcase and pulled out a large blue book, bringing it back and extending it towards me. "Sam told me why you were in here, so I looked through the books and thought you might like this one."
I took the book from his hands and admired the antiquated binding and tattered edges of the cover. Shifting its weight to one arm, I opened the book to find a smooth flowing script.
"It's about the Elves," he said, interrupting my admiration for such an old book. I glanced up at him. "I wasn't sure what you would like to read, but I figured this is a good start. Sam loves the Elves and suggested this one. He loved Rivendell when we were there." Frodo trailed off, glancing to the side as if remembering some long forgotten memory.
"Thank you, Master Baggins. I'm sure I'll enjoy reading this." My words broke his trance and he turned to me, a smile creeping up on his face.
"Feel free to take it home with you if you want to," he replied as he returned to his desk. It was a softer side to him that I had never seen before.
"Thank you again," I said, leaving the room and closing the door as quietly as I could. I folded my arms around the book and brought it to my chest.
Walking to the front room, I found a nice chair near the empty fireplace and sat down in it. I curled up in it and opened the thick book. My fingers ran over the smooth pages and I just took in the feeling of the book, the age, the texture of the pages, reading the unwritten story the book itself told. Soon, I dove into the text, submerging myself into the world of the Elves.
As a child, I always loved books. They were my escape from everything that was happening in the house. When a new sibling came a long and everyone's attention was focused on them, I read, absorbing myself into fiction and making myself feel special because I was alone in that world. Before I learned to leave, my mother would read to me. She would put me in her lap so I could see the pages and I would try to read along even though I had no clue what anything on the page was. While I was working at the Green Dragon, I read whenever I had spare time, trying to forget the misery that plagued me as I was insulted day in and day out. None of my siblings had an appreciation for books yet. Lily was too busy cleaning the house. Andy was too busy trying to be an apprentice. Ruby was too energetic to sit still for more than a short while. Everard was too young to read. My father disliked my reading books because 'books cost too much and they don't help bring in money.'
A gentle tap on my shoulder brought me from the novel into the present. I turned my head frantically to find Rosie staring down at me.
"I need your help with dinner if you wouldn't mind," she said, her stern look melting into a smile.
"Oh, sorry, I completely lost track of time. I'll help right now." I closed the book after noting what page I was on, then got up, setting the book on a nearby table.
"That looks like one of Frodo's books," Rosie commented. "You two must have made your peace then."
"I guess you could say that," I said, retreating to the kitchen. Rosie followed me into the kitchen and we started the meal.
That night, while resting in my own bed before turning in, I pulled open the book and started reading by the dim candlelight. Lily came into the room and disrupted my daydreams.
"Reading at this hour?" she asked, crossing to her side of the room and preparing herself for bed.
"It's quite interesting," I replied, trying to focus on the novel once more. Lily crossed the room and stared at the book in my hands, reaching over and tilting it. "This isn't one of father's books. He'll punish you if he finds out you spent money on this." She took it from my hands.
"It's not mine, now please give it back to me," I pleaded, leaning over and trying to take it from her.
"Then whose is it?"
"Master Baggins."
"You talked with him?"
"Yes, he's letting me borrow his books for when I have spare time."
"Wow, he seems a lot nicer than people say."
"I told you not to buy into those rumors, Lily. Now, please give me back the book."
"Fine." She placed the book on my lap and went to her own bed. "But turn off that light soon. I need my sleep." She crawled under the covers and turned her back to me. I sighed. Why did she have to be so stubborn about her gossip, I asked myself. I read to the end of the page and placed a ribbon in between the pages to save the dog-eared corners anymore harm. Lily always thought I was nuts in the way I took care of books, but I merely wanted to preserve the memories that lie beneath the covers.
I laid the book upon my nightstand and extinguished the candle. Retreating to the warm haven of my covers, I let the stories of the Elves filter through my head and seep into my dreams, making my slumber pleasant.
The next morning, I woke up early, excited from my dreams of the Elves. Eager to read on, I lit a candle and began to read again. Lily woke up after some time and turned to me.
"Were you up all night reading that book?" she asked, thoroughly annoyed.
"No, I just woke up early and decided to read."
"Well, you better get going or else you'll be late getting to the Gamgees."
"Fine," I muttered, placing the ribbon back in its place and setting the book down. I forced myself to crawl out of bed and get my act together for another day at Bag End.
A few days passed and I read the book from cover to cover, leaving more intrigued about the world outside of the Shire. One day, I entered Frodo's study to give him his second breakfast and I brought the book with me. I set his plate in its spot.
"Second breakfast, Master Baggins," I said, remaining in the room. "And I brought your book back," I said, wondering how he would react.
Frodo turned around and smiled, getting up off his stool and coming to me. I handed it to him and he replaced it in the bookcase.
"Thank you for bringing it back, Mirabella. Did you enjoy it?" he asked, returning to stand near his table.
"I did. I find all that stuff fascinating."
He chuckled softly. "You sound like Sam."
"How so?" I asked.
"When he was in his tweens, much like you are now, he would listen to my uncle Bilbo's stories all day and he loved to hear about the Elves."
"I'd better get back to Rosie," I said, taking a step back.
"Would you like another book to read?" he asked.
"If you wouldn't mind."
"Of course I don't," he said, returning to his seat, "Now you go help Rosie."
"Thank you, Master Baggins," I said, and returned to the kitchen. At lunch, when I returned to the study, there was a green book about the same size as the blue one, only thicker. I picked it up and left, retreating to the front room and curling up in the chair. Once more, I delved into a world of fiction and let everything around me fade out.
Chapter 5
I returned to Bag End early the next morning. Entering the warm and cozy kitchen, I saw Rosie bustling about. I went to the counter and picked up a knife to start dicing potatoes. Rosie glanced over at me and smiled.
"I didn't hear you come in. I'm glad you're back."
"I'm sorry about that. It's just that Master Baggins frightened me quite a bit yesterday."
"I understand. Don't fret about it too much."
The morning continued normally as if nothing had happened. I went about my duties, cleaning what little there was to clean and cooking meals.
At lunch, Rosie handed me a plate to give to Frodo. I hesitated at first, but she forced me to take it to him. I took it cautiously, not wanting to return to the study and further disturb him, but I decided that if I was going to be working there for a long time, I would have to face him sooner or later. I took the plate and walked to the back study. Carefully and as quietly as I could, I opened the door and set the plate in its usual place on the table.
"Here's your lunch, Master Baggins," I said and turned around quickly to leave.
"Please wait a moment," I heard him say. I turned to find him half seated on his stool and facing me. "It's Mirabella, right?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
I nodded slowly, unsure what to make of the situation.
"Please forgive my actions yesterday. I was not quite myself." He stood up and walked near me. I took a step back, still unsure of him. "I'm sorry for frightening you. It's just that when I saw you reading my book, something came over me. No one has ever read it before."
"Not even Master Gamgee?" I asked.
"Not even Sam," his soft voice said, calmer than it had ever been. He walked over to the bookcase and pulled out a large blue book, bringing it back and extending it towards me. "Sam told me why you were in here, so I looked through the books and thought you might like this one."
I took the book from his hands and admired the antiquated binding and tattered edges of the cover. Shifting its weight to one arm, I opened the book to find a smooth flowing script.
"It's about the Elves," he said, interrupting my admiration for such an old book. I glanced up at him. "I wasn't sure what you would like to read, but I figured this is a good start. Sam loves the Elves and suggested this one. He loved Rivendell when we were there." Frodo trailed off, glancing to the side as if remembering some long forgotten memory.
"Thank you, Master Baggins. I'm sure I'll enjoy reading this." My words broke his trance and he turned to me, a smile creeping up on his face.
"Feel free to take it home with you if you want to," he replied as he returned to his desk. It was a softer side to him that I had never seen before.
"Thank you again," I said, leaving the room and closing the door as quietly as I could. I folded my arms around the book and brought it to my chest.
Walking to the front room, I found a nice chair near the empty fireplace and sat down in it. I curled up in it and opened the thick book. My fingers ran over the smooth pages and I just took in the feeling of the book, the age, the texture of the pages, reading the unwritten story the book itself told. Soon, I dove into the text, submerging myself into the world of the Elves.
As a child, I always loved books. They were my escape from everything that was happening in the house. When a new sibling came a long and everyone's attention was focused on them, I read, absorbing myself into fiction and making myself feel special because I was alone in that world. Before I learned to leave, my mother would read to me. She would put me in her lap so I could see the pages and I would try to read along even though I had no clue what anything on the page was. While I was working at the Green Dragon, I read whenever I had spare time, trying to forget the misery that plagued me as I was insulted day in and day out. None of my siblings had an appreciation for books yet. Lily was too busy cleaning the house. Andy was too busy trying to be an apprentice. Ruby was too energetic to sit still for more than a short while. Everard was too young to read. My father disliked my reading books because 'books cost too much and they don't help bring in money.'
A gentle tap on my shoulder brought me from the novel into the present. I turned my head frantically to find Rosie staring down at me.
"I need your help with dinner if you wouldn't mind," she said, her stern look melting into a smile.
"Oh, sorry, I completely lost track of time. I'll help right now." I closed the book after noting what page I was on, then got up, setting the book on a nearby table.
"That looks like one of Frodo's books," Rosie commented. "You two must have made your peace then."
"I guess you could say that," I said, retreating to the kitchen. Rosie followed me into the kitchen and we started the meal.
That night, while resting in my own bed before turning in, I pulled open the book and started reading by the dim candlelight. Lily came into the room and disrupted my daydreams.
"Reading at this hour?" she asked, crossing to her side of the room and preparing herself for bed.
"It's quite interesting," I replied, trying to focus on the novel once more. Lily crossed the room and stared at the book in my hands, reaching over and tilting it. "This isn't one of father's books. He'll punish you if he finds out you spent money on this." She took it from my hands.
"It's not mine, now please give it back to me," I pleaded, leaning over and trying to take it from her.
"Then whose is it?"
"Master Baggins."
"You talked with him?"
"Yes, he's letting me borrow his books for when I have spare time."
"Wow, he seems a lot nicer than people say."
"I told you not to buy into those rumors, Lily. Now, please give me back the book."
"Fine." She placed the book on my lap and went to her own bed. "But turn off that light soon. I need my sleep." She crawled under the covers and turned her back to me. I sighed. Why did she have to be so stubborn about her gossip, I asked myself. I read to the end of the page and placed a ribbon in between the pages to save the dog-eared corners anymore harm. Lily always thought I was nuts in the way I took care of books, but I merely wanted to preserve the memories that lie beneath the covers.
I laid the book upon my nightstand and extinguished the candle. Retreating to the warm haven of my covers, I let the stories of the Elves filter through my head and seep into my dreams, making my slumber pleasant.
The next morning, I woke up early, excited from my dreams of the Elves. Eager to read on, I lit a candle and began to read again. Lily woke up after some time and turned to me.
"Were you up all night reading that book?" she asked, thoroughly annoyed.
"No, I just woke up early and decided to read."
"Well, you better get going or else you'll be late getting to the Gamgees."
"Fine," I muttered, placing the ribbon back in its place and setting the book down. I forced myself to crawl out of bed and get my act together for another day at Bag End.
A few days passed and I read the book from cover to cover, leaving more intrigued about the world outside of the Shire. One day, I entered Frodo's study to give him his second breakfast and I brought the book with me. I set his plate in its spot.
"Second breakfast, Master Baggins," I said, remaining in the room. "And I brought your book back," I said, wondering how he would react.
Frodo turned around and smiled, getting up off his stool and coming to me. I handed it to him and he replaced it in the bookcase.
"Thank you for bringing it back, Mirabella. Did you enjoy it?" he asked, returning to stand near his table.
"I did. I find all that stuff fascinating."
He chuckled softly. "You sound like Sam."
"How so?" I asked.
"When he was in his tweens, much like you are now, he would listen to my uncle Bilbo's stories all day and he loved to hear about the Elves."
"I'd better get back to Rosie," I said, taking a step back.
"Would you like another book to read?" he asked.
"If you wouldn't mind."
"Of course I don't," he said, returning to his seat, "Now you go help Rosie."
"Thank you, Master Baggins," I said, and returned to the kitchen. At lunch, when I returned to the study, there was a green book about the same size as the blue one, only thicker. I picked it up and left, retreating to the front room and curling up in the chair. Once more, I delved into a world of fiction and let everything around me fade out.
