Whispers through the Night
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Tolkien and his brilliant mind, apart from pieces of the plot, which are of my own imaginings...
Rosie Cotton carefully brushed her hair, tying it up with blue ribbons as she went. She sang softly to herself as she worked, thinking of the evening of delights ahead of her. She had received the invitation to Bilbo Bagginses eleventy first birthday party, around a week ago, and had replied almost instantly in the affirmative. The party was to start in the morning, and carry on till late at night, and so far it had been a resounding success! The Cotton family were still there enjoying the delights that Bilbo had provided, but Rosie had wanted to come home to change into her party dress, so had slipped away before dinner. Her dress was stunning, and she had made it herself, with the odd bit of help from her mother .It was a beautiful dress with full skirts and beautiful fitted bodice. It was made from all different shades of blue, ranging from palest sky blue to deep violet. She smiled to herself as she admired her reflection and gave one last smooth of her skirts. Carefully, she headed out of her room, and out through the open front door and into the warm night air. The breeze revived her as she walked swiftly towards the party field. Even from this distance she could hear the shouts of delight from the gathered hobbits, and had a spectacular view of Gandalf's fireworks. Gandalf had not given a firework display in many years, and Rosie desperately hoped that he would give them more often from now on. They shot up from the ground, bursting into a flurry of colour as they met with the sky above, and burst like a flurry of stars. She trotted through the gate on light feet, and wove through the crowd to where she had left her parents. It was as if she had never left, they were exactly as she had left them, except the level of ale had gone down considerably in their tankards! She settled herself down between Jolly and Nibs, and joined in the conversation, eating as she listened to the chatter going on around her.
The evening grew darker, and fireflies and moths were drawn to the lamps hanging from every available surface. More lamps were lit, and soon the field looked like a fairy world glistening in the moonlight. Gandalf's fireworks burst at regular intervals over their heads; showering coloured sparks like snow that floated delicately down, dissolving into thin air as soon as they touched anything. The scent of roses was carried on the gentle night breeze, and the scent made everyone giddy with delight, and spurred the party on to even greater heights.
The music had started up once more, and her restless feet itched to get up and join the dancers. Her mother noticed this, and smiled before saying to Jolly,
"Why don't you and Rosie go and dance, I'm sure you could both do with the exercise!"
Rosie grinned and looked sideways at Jolly, who's waistband seemed distinctly tighter than when he had sat down to eat that evening. Jolly grinned and stood up, taking Rosie's hand in his, he led her out onto the grass clearing where partners were already whirling each other around. Together they set off in a wild dance, weaving in and out of other dancing couples. Rosie squealed with delight, and clung on tight to Jolly's arms, praying he wouldn't let her go, and at the same time excitement coursing so quickly through her veins she prayed it would never end!
Suddenly Jolly tripped, and his grip on Rosie loosened, she whirled out of his arms, and bumped against someone. Regaining her balance, she looked up and started a breathless apology, her face turning red as she realized who it was.
"I'm so sorry, I honestly didn't mean too. My brother and I tripped and..."
Her voice tailed off as she looked into his kindly eyes. Something deep down inside her stirred, and her heart fluttered as he smiled back at her.
"It's alright, no harm done."
A slight tinge came to his face, and he mumbled the last few words. With a brief nod, he smiled at her once more, and continued back to his seat.
Rosie stood in shock, her mouth slightly open, oblivious to he whirling couples around her. Had she really just spoken to him? She couldn't believe that Samwise Gamgee had actually been speaking to her. She watched him for what seemed like an age, he way he walked, the way he smiled at the Gaffer as he handed him a drink... She had always admired Samwise, but had never taken enough courage to go and talk to him. He was seven years older than her after all, and there were plenty other lasses who liked him. She was shaken out of her trance by Jolly throwing his arms around her from behind, and whisking her off to dance once more. He didn't appear to have noticed that his sister was unusually silent, and even declined a second dance, preferring to go and sit back with their family.
Dinner was announced, and a good portion of the hobbits streamed into the tent at the centre of the field. The Cottons had not been invited, and so they sat together with the other hobbits left outside, eating, drinking and making general merriment.
The noise level increased from inside the pavilion, as the evening grew older, and then suddenly ceased. Cheers and shouts punctuated the silence, and straining her ears, Rosie caught snatches of Bilbo's speech...
"...and Burrowses, and Hornblowers, and Bolgers, Bracegirdles, Goodbodies,Brochouses and Proudfoots."
"Proudfeet!"
The shouts of laughter that followed this comment were easily heard, and took a while to die down once more. When they had finally cleared enough for Rosie to hear once more, Bilbo appeared to have carried on with his speech,
"... I don't know half of you as well as I should like and I like less than half of you half as much as you deserve."
Rosie giggled quietly to herself, but silenced quickly when Bilbo continued,
"...Secondly to celebrate my birthday,"
Cheers once more erupted from the pavilion, and the rest of Bilbo's words were not loud enough for Rosie to be able to hear them over the din. Rosie's attention was distracted at this point, as the music had started up once more, and between that and the shouts and cheers from the other hobbits, there was no way she would manage to hear anymore of Bilbo's speech. It was a shame, as it had been rather a good one, and so excusing herself briefly to the family, she got up and carefully weaved her way through the other hobbits, dodging drunkenly swaying arms, and finally came to the opening of the pavilion.
The speech sounded like it was almost over, and so crouched in the shadows, Rosie settled herself to finish listening.
"... and finally, I wish to make an announcement. I regret to announce that – though as I said, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you-this is the END."
Bilbo said this last word that Rosie jumped slightly, and sat up straighter, her ears strained so as not to miss a word of what was being said.
"I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOODBYE!"
The end of this speech was accompanied by such a gasp from the hobbits inside, that Rosie risked a quick peep around the pavilion flap. She didn't really understand what was wrong, Bilbo was not at the head as she was sure he had been, but surely that meant that he had just sat down.
As she looked in for the source of the disturbance, a cool breeze went swiftly past her cheek, and she thought she felt something or someone brush against her arm, but looking quickly there was no one in sight.
The pavilion was now full of excited and shocked chattering, and carefully and quietly, Rosie slipped away and back to her family.
It did not take long for the events of inside the pavilion to circulate to those guests who had not been invited, and everyone had more than enough to think and talk about as they slowly started to drift off to their homes. The Cottons were some of the last to leave, and as they passed the Gamgees, Rosie looked up into Samwises concerned face. Spotting her looking, he gave her a quick smile before turning back to the Gaffer to try and find Frodo Baggins who had also vanished. Rosie was soon shunted out of the gate by her parents, and lost sight of Sam in the melee.
Bed was swift in coming, and as soon as she arrived home, she was bundled off to her room. Rosie didn't complain, her head being too full of thoughts of the evening to really notice.
She lay in the darkness, looking out through the small window by her bed into the moonlit garden. The window was open, and the scent of roses and sweet peas came drifting in on the warm night air
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Tolkien and his brilliant mind, apart from pieces of the plot, which are of my own imaginings...
Rosie Cotton carefully brushed her hair, tying it up with blue ribbons as she went. She sang softly to herself as she worked, thinking of the evening of delights ahead of her. She had received the invitation to Bilbo Bagginses eleventy first birthday party, around a week ago, and had replied almost instantly in the affirmative. The party was to start in the morning, and carry on till late at night, and so far it had been a resounding success! The Cotton family were still there enjoying the delights that Bilbo had provided, but Rosie had wanted to come home to change into her party dress, so had slipped away before dinner. Her dress was stunning, and she had made it herself, with the odd bit of help from her mother .It was a beautiful dress with full skirts and beautiful fitted bodice. It was made from all different shades of blue, ranging from palest sky blue to deep violet. She smiled to herself as she admired her reflection and gave one last smooth of her skirts. Carefully, she headed out of her room, and out through the open front door and into the warm night air. The breeze revived her as she walked swiftly towards the party field. Even from this distance she could hear the shouts of delight from the gathered hobbits, and had a spectacular view of Gandalf's fireworks. Gandalf had not given a firework display in many years, and Rosie desperately hoped that he would give them more often from now on. They shot up from the ground, bursting into a flurry of colour as they met with the sky above, and burst like a flurry of stars. She trotted through the gate on light feet, and wove through the crowd to where she had left her parents. It was as if she had never left, they were exactly as she had left them, except the level of ale had gone down considerably in their tankards! She settled herself down between Jolly and Nibs, and joined in the conversation, eating as she listened to the chatter going on around her.
The evening grew darker, and fireflies and moths were drawn to the lamps hanging from every available surface. More lamps were lit, and soon the field looked like a fairy world glistening in the moonlight. Gandalf's fireworks burst at regular intervals over their heads; showering coloured sparks like snow that floated delicately down, dissolving into thin air as soon as they touched anything. The scent of roses was carried on the gentle night breeze, and the scent made everyone giddy with delight, and spurred the party on to even greater heights.
The music had started up once more, and her restless feet itched to get up and join the dancers. Her mother noticed this, and smiled before saying to Jolly,
"Why don't you and Rosie go and dance, I'm sure you could both do with the exercise!"
Rosie grinned and looked sideways at Jolly, who's waistband seemed distinctly tighter than when he had sat down to eat that evening. Jolly grinned and stood up, taking Rosie's hand in his, he led her out onto the grass clearing where partners were already whirling each other around. Together they set off in a wild dance, weaving in and out of other dancing couples. Rosie squealed with delight, and clung on tight to Jolly's arms, praying he wouldn't let her go, and at the same time excitement coursing so quickly through her veins she prayed it would never end!
Suddenly Jolly tripped, and his grip on Rosie loosened, she whirled out of his arms, and bumped against someone. Regaining her balance, she looked up and started a breathless apology, her face turning red as she realized who it was.
"I'm so sorry, I honestly didn't mean too. My brother and I tripped and..."
Her voice tailed off as she looked into his kindly eyes. Something deep down inside her stirred, and her heart fluttered as he smiled back at her.
"It's alright, no harm done."
A slight tinge came to his face, and he mumbled the last few words. With a brief nod, he smiled at her once more, and continued back to his seat.
Rosie stood in shock, her mouth slightly open, oblivious to he whirling couples around her. Had she really just spoken to him? She couldn't believe that Samwise Gamgee had actually been speaking to her. She watched him for what seemed like an age, he way he walked, the way he smiled at the Gaffer as he handed him a drink... She had always admired Samwise, but had never taken enough courage to go and talk to him. He was seven years older than her after all, and there were plenty other lasses who liked him. She was shaken out of her trance by Jolly throwing his arms around her from behind, and whisking her off to dance once more. He didn't appear to have noticed that his sister was unusually silent, and even declined a second dance, preferring to go and sit back with their family.
Dinner was announced, and a good portion of the hobbits streamed into the tent at the centre of the field. The Cottons had not been invited, and so they sat together with the other hobbits left outside, eating, drinking and making general merriment.
The noise level increased from inside the pavilion, as the evening grew older, and then suddenly ceased. Cheers and shouts punctuated the silence, and straining her ears, Rosie caught snatches of Bilbo's speech...
"...and Burrowses, and Hornblowers, and Bolgers, Bracegirdles, Goodbodies,Brochouses and Proudfoots."
"Proudfeet!"
The shouts of laughter that followed this comment were easily heard, and took a while to die down once more. When they had finally cleared enough for Rosie to hear once more, Bilbo appeared to have carried on with his speech,
"... I don't know half of you as well as I should like and I like less than half of you half as much as you deserve."
Rosie giggled quietly to herself, but silenced quickly when Bilbo continued,
"...Secondly to celebrate my birthday,"
Cheers once more erupted from the pavilion, and the rest of Bilbo's words were not loud enough for Rosie to be able to hear them over the din. Rosie's attention was distracted at this point, as the music had started up once more, and between that and the shouts and cheers from the other hobbits, there was no way she would manage to hear anymore of Bilbo's speech. It was a shame, as it had been rather a good one, and so excusing herself briefly to the family, she got up and carefully weaved her way through the other hobbits, dodging drunkenly swaying arms, and finally came to the opening of the pavilion.
The speech sounded like it was almost over, and so crouched in the shadows, Rosie settled herself to finish listening.
"... and finally, I wish to make an announcement. I regret to announce that – though as I said, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you-this is the END."
Bilbo said this last word that Rosie jumped slightly, and sat up straighter, her ears strained so as not to miss a word of what was being said.
"I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOODBYE!"
The end of this speech was accompanied by such a gasp from the hobbits inside, that Rosie risked a quick peep around the pavilion flap. She didn't really understand what was wrong, Bilbo was not at the head as she was sure he had been, but surely that meant that he had just sat down.
As she looked in for the source of the disturbance, a cool breeze went swiftly past her cheek, and she thought she felt something or someone brush against her arm, but looking quickly there was no one in sight.
The pavilion was now full of excited and shocked chattering, and carefully and quietly, Rosie slipped away and back to her family.
It did not take long for the events of inside the pavilion to circulate to those guests who had not been invited, and everyone had more than enough to think and talk about as they slowly started to drift off to their homes. The Cottons were some of the last to leave, and as they passed the Gamgees, Rosie looked up into Samwises concerned face. Spotting her looking, he gave her a quick smile before turning back to the Gaffer to try and find Frodo Baggins who had also vanished. Rosie was soon shunted out of the gate by her parents, and lost sight of Sam in the melee.
Bed was swift in coming, and as soon as she arrived home, she was bundled off to her room. Rosie didn't complain, her head being too full of thoughts of the evening to really notice.
She lay in the darkness, looking out through the small window by her bed into the moonlit garden. The window was open, and the scent of roses and sweet peas came drifting in on the warm night air