A/N: Hi to anyone who is reading this! I don't know who you are since you haven't reviewed so I can't use your name (except for you bro. I obviously know who you are.) There is this little button down at the bottom of the screen. Its called a review button. USE IT! Anyway, on with the story!
Ch. 4: Zilda's PresentThe next thing Frodo knew he was being shaken awake.
"Hey Frodo!" The voice was Merry's. Frodo mumbled something about 'leaving a hobbit in peace for a few moments' and rolled over.
"But we have! In fact, it's been almost five hours!"
"Five hours!" Frodo exclaimed, leaping out of bed.
"Don't worry! We've taken care of everything. We just wanted your go ahead to close up shop."
"Oh, yes of course! I'm sorry I wasn't more help." Frodo said slipping into the robe, Merry held out for him.
"We handled it fine, Zilda, Pip and I. Zilda even got rid of Lobelia for you!" Merry said with a smile.
"Oh really!" said Frodo, truly impressed. "And how did she manage such a feat?"
"She caught Lobelia with an umbrella full of small items from around the house and told her in no uncertain terms that if she didn't remove herself from the premises she would see to it that she was never allowed within a hundred mile radius of the Baggins hole again. I've never seen Lobelia so shocked and angry in all my life, but she took off and we haven't seen her for the last three hours!" Frodo was giggling helplessly by now imagining the look on Lobelia's face. Merry laughed too, then began to walk out the door. "Well, I'll go and inform my two lovely cousins that you said we could take our leave."
"Alright, Merry. You be sure to take care of yourself."
"You too, Frodo. Don't go wearing' yourself out, like you did today, on a regular basis."
"I won't." Frodo replied. He waved as his younger cousin walked out the door. He stretched and walked out the door toward the kitchen to scrounge up something to eat. He was starving! But before he got to the kitchen it hit him. The hall was empty! And clean! Spotless. In fact, it looked like someone had taken a mop to it! It was definitely not the hall of chaos he had left this afternoon. He shook his head and walked into the kitchen. It was clean too! He almost didn't want to dirty it by making a sandwich. He needn't have worried. Someone had thought of that too. There on the counter was a ham and cheese sandwich and a warm mug of milk. Someone had been thinking about him and he had a good idea who it was. He smiled and was about to take the mug and plate into the parlor when Merry and Pippin bounded through the front door and into the kitchen.
"We thought we might find you here!" said Pippin. "We just wanted to let you know that we finished our bit and I think we're going home." He yawned and smiled. "Or at least I am."
"Go on boys, you did well. The old hole looks fabulous!"
"Oh that wasn't us." Merry replied, as he and Pippin started to walk out the door. "It was Zilda!"
"Oh." Frodo said, but they were already gone. He shrugged and picked up his plate again, but set it down and gasped as he just remembered he had forgotten to give her the present she had gotten from Bilbo!
'Well, maybe I'll see her tomorrow.' Satisfied with this, he finally picked up his mug and plate and went into the parlor. There was a cheerful, crackling fire in the hearth and his favorite plush chair had been pulled close with a small coffee table beside it. Frodo sighed and put his plate on the table. He sat in the chair and sipped his milk slowly. He closed his eyes and listened to the walls of the hole creak in the wind. It was a rather comforting sound.
Suddenly, he heard a different noise. It was a beautiful voice humming a merry tune. Frodo smiled, but kept his eyes closed, content just listening. He thought he knew who it was but couldn't quite put the voice to a face. Suddenly, his door creaked open and the voice came in. He knew who it was then and opened his eyes, looking toward the door.
"Oh, Frodo, your awake." Said Zilda. "Pippin said that you had gotten up, but I thought that you had gone back to bed." She stacked the bundle of wood she had been carrying next to the fireplace and pulled up a stool to sit on while she warmed her delicate hands. "It's getting chilly out. Be sure to put an extra blanket on your bed tonight."
"I will. The place looks great, Zilda, thank you." Frodo said gratefully.
"Oh, it wasn't a problem. It was such a mess after everyone left and I didn't want you to wake up only to find a messy hole you had to clean up. You were so exhausted." She turned to face him and her hair caught the light of the fire making it shine and sparkle like gold. Frodo thought she had never looked more beautiful. He realized, embarrassingly that he was staring, but he couldn't help it. It was as if she had placed some spell on him that held his eyes glued to hers. Zilda began to blush and got up to straighten some papers on the desk next to the window. The spell was broken and Frodo took another sip of his milk and a bite of his sandwich. While he was chewing, he suddenly remembered again.
"Oh!" He exclaimed as he leaped out of his chair and walked back to his room. Zilda turned to watch him go.
'Now what's he doing?' She thought as she followed him and found him rummaging around in his closet, throwing clothes and papers all about. "What in the name of the Valar…?" She began, but just then, Frodo pulled out a rather large parcel, wrapped in cloth and handed it to her.
"Bilbo left this for you. He said I was to give it to you personally."
Zilda smiled and took the gift. She read the tag:
To My Dearest Zilda,
Thank you for being the daughter I never had. I hope this will be of some use on the adventures you are sure to have.
With all the love my old heart can muster,
Bilbo
Zilda thought she might cry. The daughter he had never had, it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. With shaking hands she began to unwrap the present, while Frodo watched her anxiously. When she pulled the last of the cloth away she let out a gasp.
"Oh Frodo, look!" There was a new bow and quiver. The bow was carved with vines and intricate leaves and had a strong, yet slender string. The quiver was of the best leather and was filled with thirty of the best arrows Zilda had ever seen.
"Frodo, this is a Mirkwood bow! Look at the bottom there! That's elven writing! Oh Frodo this is wonderful! I can't believe Bilbo got this for me!" Frodo smiled. He didn't tell her that he had helped Bilbo pick out the present. He preferred to let her think Bilbo had picked it all out himself.
"Yes, it's very beautiful." He replied. Zilda ran her hands over the wood and drew the string, guiding it back to its original place afterwards. Suddenly she turned to Frodo her eyes shining.
"It's a full moon tonight. Do you want to go with me to try it out?" Frodo smiled and nodded.
"Sure! Let me get a coat!" He ran through the house to the kitchen and grabbed his jacket off the back of a chair. He started to run back to his room, but when he got to the hall, Zilda called.
"Hey genius, the door is this way!" She was standing by the door, waiting. Frodo smiled.
"If you weren't so blasted fast!" He joked as he walked up to the door.
"You know you wouldn't want me any other way!" Zilda replied with a laugh.
"Your right of course, as usual." Frodo said. The two friends smiled at one another and Zilda opened the door.
"Well the wind's died down. Come on, let's go!"
"Where are you going?" a deep voice inquired. Zilda jumped and turned around. There was Gandalf, standing in the doorway.
"Oh Gandalf! You scared me. We were just going to try out my new bow. Look, isn't gorgeous? Bilbo left it for me." Gandalf took the bow and inspected it closely before handing it back.
"It is a beautiful weapon, but I'm afraid Frodo won't be able to accompany you this evening. There are things I must discuss with him, alone."
Zilda's face fell. "Oh." Was all she said in a rather disappointed way. Frodo looked at her, then back to the wizard.
"Can't it wait?" He asked pleadingly, but Zilda waved her hand at him.
"No, no, it's alright. I should probably be going home anyway. Bye Frodo. Bye Gandalf." She said. Both of her friends knew, however, that it wasn't all right. She sighed and walked out the door and down the path. The two watched her go until she was out of sight.