"Stand up straight and do not slouch. Now, let me look at you Miss Gamgee,"
said Madam Butterwood, an older hobbitess, as she stood in front of
Kalista. Her nose was held high and her curly gray hair was pulled back
into a tight bun. She looked over to Kalista, making a random 'tisking'
sound as she examined the girl. "We have a lot of work to do," she finally
said. "I will not tell you again, do not slouch; it is unbecoming."
Kalista stood up and waited for the woman to walk away before returning to her slouching position.
After the rest of the girls were looked over, the woman walked back in front of the group and looked at them critically. "Ladies, you are here because you are to be the cream of the crop of the next generation. We are going to train you to be the type of ladies your families will be proud of. I know many of you do not believe me but all your hard work will pay off in the end, you shall see in time."
Despite the warm smile and gentle voice, Kalista saw through the act, and she knew this was going to be one terrible long summer.
After a month of frills, tea times, and many broken combs, two girls had dropped out of 'Madame Butterwood's School for Ladies' and many others were going crazy. Especially Kalista, who found wearing 'girly' dresses everyday quite tiresome. She felt as if she were a child's doll at times. Never had her hair been combed so many times, and her first attempt at wearing makeup was something Kalista never wanted to think about again.
However, lessons were not as bad as she thought they were going to be. Kalista did not mind the dancing, or learning tea etiquette; it was nothing worse then a day with Bilbo. Kalista was a natural with her classes and she soon made many friends. In fact, she was becoming a group favorite with her rebellious nature and constant joking. Unfortunately, Madame Butterwood did not look at Kalista in the same light as the others did.
"Kalista!" a swift voice came from the head of the table.
Kalista looked towards Madam Butterwood innocently, she was sitting with a few other girls and balancing a silver spoon on her nose.
"What did I just say?" Madam Butterwood asked strictly, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at Kalista menacingly.
Kalista took the teaspoon off of her nose and smiled sweetly at the old woman, "I am sorry Madame Butterwood, I was practicing my balance. Could you repeat the question?" A few of the girls giggled at Kalista's statement but soon fell silent as their instructor glared at them with warning in her eyes.
"How can you learn anything if you're playing around the whole time?"
"I am truly sorry Madame, may I be excused?" Kalista continued her smiling and waited for an answer.
Madame Butterwood looked at her quickly and then sighed, "yes you may."
Kalista hopped out of her chair and started to walk away but then stopped. She turned, politely, curtsied, and then walked out gracefully in her most proper manner.
Once out of the door, Kalista returned to her natural slouch and walked outside towards the gardens. It was mid day and the sun was high, shining brightly in the blue sky. A slight gust of wind wrestled a few strands of Kalista's hair around her face. The flowers in the garden were at full bloom, roses and sunflowers bordering the houses of Michel Delving. However, none of them compared to the flowers of Bag End and Hobbiton.
Kalista was beginning to feel terribly lonely as she thought about the roses and snapdragons. She missed her smial as well. When she first arrived in Michel Delving, she was surprised to see most of the homes and shops were up ground wooded houses, not holes at all. Not that the houses were bad, they were quite cozy but they were not as cozy as the smials or Bag End.
Along the garden path, Kalista came across a large tree. She looked to the strong branches and bright green leaves and immediately thought of Frodo. She missed sitting with him and watching the sunrise and she missed her adventures with him. As Kalista reminisced about her friend, she ran over to the tree and started to climb it. It was a wonderful spot; Kalista could see the main road from where she sat.
Sitting back against the trunk on one of the larger branches, Kalista pulled a letter out of her skirt pocket and opened it. She had almost forgotten she had the letter, being too busy to open it when she received it. The Wax seal cracked as she opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. Unfolding the crisp white paper, Kalista overturned the envelope and smiled as a few red rose petals fell out. It was Frodo's calling card! Kalista's heart jumped excitedly, she had been waiting for a letter from Frodo for weeks and she immediately knew it was from him, since he had sent rose petals the last two times he sent her letters. Looking at the paper, she began reading.
"To My Dearest Friend.
Hullo! I have missed you dearly in the past month. Your family is doing wonderfully, as well. Hamfast's roses are beautiful this year, and Sam is starting to become a little gardener, too. Your mother and sisters are all fine; Marigold gave us all a scare last week with that cough of hers however. But she drank some broth and is feeling much better now.
Hobbiton has been surprisingly busy recently; The annual Summer Solstice Festival was fantastic, I only wish you were hear with me. Things have been quite boring without you. However, it seems you have not been too bored in Michel Delving; Bilbo has been letting me read the letters from Madame Butterwood. Congratulations on your accomplishments!
I cannot wait to see you; Bilbo is bringing me to the Delving in two weeks. He is going on business, but I begged him to take me along so I can visit."
It was then; horse hooves were heard coming up the road. Kalista stopped reading for a moment and looked towards the distance. A cart carrying two hobbits appeared down the road. The driver was an older hobbit while the passenger was a younger hobbit lad, about Frodo's age. Wanting to get a closer look, Kalista crumbled her letter and placed it back into her skirt pocket quickly, she then tried to climb to a lower branch for a better view.
However, Kalista did not test the branch enough and did not realize how breakable it was. Hearing a crack from the branch, Kalista looked down at her height and began to panic. 'This is not good,' she thought to herself when a loud snap erupted and Kalista went tumbling out of the tree. A pain filled moan escaped Kalista's lips as she slowly opened her eyes.
She tried to sit up bit the impact of the fall was too much and she felt dizzy. Laying back, she looked up to the sky. She felt scared, angry and embarrassed all at once. Hopefully, no one saw that fall. A few seconds later, a shadow fell over Kalista and the boy showed himself to Kalista. "Are you all right?" he asked as he knelt beside her. He helped her try to sit up and this time, Kalista did so successfully.
"I think so.I mean, owe." Kalista moaned from a slight bit of pain from her head and then looked up to the boy and smiled shyly.
The boy chuckled and helped her onto her feet. Kalista stood up and popped her back quickly, making sure everything was in place. Standing there with the boy for a moment, Kalista began to feel self conscious and embarrassed at her accident. He must have thought she was strange. Looking up to him, she smiled politely and extended her hand, "Thank you Mr..?"
"Sancho, Sancho Millbanks," Replied the boy with a smile as he accepted her hand and shook it politely. "I've never seen you around before, did you just move here?"
"Well, not really, I'm hear for the summer," Kalista replied, shaking her head.
Sancho nodded and was about to say something else when he heard his father calling. The older hobbit was beginning to unload his goods and needed Sancho's help. Sancho looked back over to Kalista and smiled, "Well, it was nice to meet you." Taking Kalista's hand, Sancho kissed it sweetly before trotting off down the hill to help his father.
Kalista watched him leave and could not help but feel a slight fluttering in her heart. He was a good-looking lad, polite and considerate. She wondered how often he came to Michel Delving. Would she get to speak with him again?
"Kalista Gamgee!" called Madam Butterwood from the edge of the garden. "Are you going to stand their all day? It is time for your speech lessons."
Kalista let out an irritated sigh before straightening up and looking in the older woman's direction, "Coming Madam Butterwood!" Taking one last look at the boy, Kalista smiled and then turned back to the school.
Later that night, back at the Windlefoot's, Kalista changed into one of her new dresses and then walked into the dinning room for supper. The Windlefoot's were one or the more wealthy families in Michel Delving. They were good friends of Bilbo's from what Kalista understood and that was how arrangements were made for her to stay with them for the summer. They owned one of the larger smials in the Delving and one of the more comfortable ones too. Mr. And Mrs. Windelfoot were an elderly couple but full of life. They had a daughter, older than Kalista who also went to Madam Butterwood's school. Kalista didn't mind staying with them, they were sweet people and did not mind the way Kalista acted or dressed; though they often pushed for her education.
Mrs. Windlefoot and Emily were setting the table with plates, spoons, and glasses while Mr. Windlefoot fixed the fire in the common room. Extra seats were set at the table for Madam Butterwood and two other guests whom Kalista did not know about. She was terribly curious as to whom the guests were.
Soon, someone knocked on the door and Mr. Whitefoot went to greet the guests while Kalista, Mrs. Whitefoot, and Emily took seats at the table. At the door, Mr. Whitefoot welcomed two gentlehobbits inside the smial, along with Madam Butterwood.
Kalista was surprised to see the two gentlehobbits were none other, than Sancho Milbanks and his father. A chill of excitement pierced through Kalista and she stood immediately to welcome the guests. Taking their coats and hats, Kalista led them all into the dinning area and then placed the clothing on a bed in one of the back rooms.
Dinner was still being prepared so while Emily and Mrs. Whitefoot went to finish cooking, Kalista sat with Sancho and the two chatted. Through the talk, Kalista learned that Sancho's family were farmers from Hardbottle. They were one of the more well to do families in the area and were invited by the Whitefoots for dinner while making a stop before going to Madam Butterwood's school.
Kalista loved listening to Sancho's gentle but confident voice and from the way he talked, he knew his way around the farm like Kalista knew her way with a sewing needle. He would take over the family farm after his father, in a few years.
When dinner was swerved, everyone became silent and ate their share of potatoes, chicken, and tomatoes. Everyone except Kalista; she was not too hungry and all she could do was watch Sancho as he ate. It was as if no one else in the world existed but him. He was a good-looking lad: his hair was a curly mop of light brown with highlights of a light sandy color. His nose was thin, just floating above his cupid like pink lips. His eyes were a dark brown and gentle. Every time Kalista looked at them, she could not help but smile.
Before Kalista realized it, Emily was looking at her and giggling. Kalista snapped out of her trance and looked over at the fawn-toned girl beside her, "What's your problem?" she whispered to Emily. Emily continued to giggle and smiled at Kalista, "You've only been staring at Mr. Millbanks through the entire supper."
Kalista frowned at the comment and shook her head, "No I haven't, and if I were, it's none of your concern."
"Nonsense, Kallie," Returned Emily with a smile and she risked a short glance at Sancho from across the table. "It is so obvious you like..."
Just then, Sancho looked over to the two girls and smiled shyly as if wondering what Emily was about to say.
"Silver belles, it is obvious you like silver belles," Emily said with a smile. "They are such lovely flowers."
Kalista felt her cheek become enflames as she smiled and looked between Emily to Sancho. "Of course, they are the most beautiful flower, I think."
"Are they, now?" asked Sancho with intrigue. Kalista nodded and the conversation ended there. During the rest of the dinner, Kalista was making a mental note to kill Emily before bedtime.
That Friday, Kalista happily walked down towards a grove of trees just outside of Michel Delving. She carried with her a small, blue leather bound book to read. Friday's were always 'free days' at the school, so Kalista had the chance to relax instead of studying her usual lessons. Today, she thought she would find a quiet place to read before meeting the Windlefoot's for tea.
With book in hand, Kalista walked off to the near by pond and sat under one of the larger trees to read. The lake was quiet and peaceful, except for the random chirping of birds, which Kalista didn't mind at all. Opening the book, Kalista turned to the page she had left off on and began reading silently. She hadn't quite figured out why Bilbo, of all hobbits, was in possession of a romance novel. Most of his books were for "educational purposes" but before Kalista left, she had scanned the shelf and found this little treasure. It was a most interesting story about a young girl whom fell in love with two hobbit boys and was forced to choose between them of them.
As Kalista read, she started to tune out the world, focusing on the words and the poetry the words created. Lines flowing across the page created beautiful patterns of curls and straits.
.Watching the road from the window, Elanor noticed a cart coming down the long dirt path. She watched closely, not sure what to think, after all, no one ever came this far out into the country. She watched curiously for a moment as the cart came into view. And at that moment, her heart skipped a beat. On her lips grew a smile and was soon followed by her running out of the house and to the road, startling her mother and the chicken sitting outside by the door, sending a flurry of wings and loose feathers in the air. Tickling her nose and the back of.
Suddenly, Kalista jumped when she felt something rush across the back of her neck. Placing her hand to the back of her neck, she felt some someone's hand pull away. She looked up, not knowing whom to expect and was slightly surprised to see Sancho standing behind her. "Well, hullo Sancho Millbanks," she said, smiling and closing the book.
Sancho smiled and walked around to stand in front of Kalista. He was holding something behind his back and blushed as he revealed his gift. A stem of silver belles freshly picked from one of the gardens. Kalista blushed immediately and accepted the flowers. Bringing them to her nose, she drowned herself in their fragrance.
"Do you mind if I sit here with you?" he asked.
"Not at all, I was curious if I would see you again," She said, then bit her bottom lip, mentally scolding herself at her bluntness. Sancho did not seem to mind though; he laughed slightly and took a seat beside her under the tree. His laugh was music to her ears; warm and inviting like the sunrise on an April morning.
"I'm surprised I didn't say that myself," countered Sancho, relieving the nervous feelings Kalista had. Soon, both hobbits were laughing at their boldness with each other.
The two sat for some time, talking about random topics from family to the weather, why Kalista was in the Delving and how long Sancho would be there as well. To Kalista, all time had stopped and no one else existed except her and Sancho. Neither could remember what the two talked about, it did not matter. All that mattered was that for the first time that summer, Kalista was happy.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. Teatime was approaching rapidly and Kalsita was expected at the Whitefoots'. Sancho walked Kalista home then, enjoying the last of her company. The boy watched Kalista as she walked gracefully down the road, holding her strand of silver belles and her book. On the porch of the Whitefoots' smial, Sancho took Kalista's hand and kissed it, as he had done on the first day of their meeting. He then left Kalista, promising to talk to her before he and his father left Michel Delving.
Kalista watched Sancho walked down the lane and sighed. "Sancho Millbanks." she said softly, letting the name roll off her tongue. Biting her lip, she smiled and walked into the smial with a happy heart.
The summer continued on as usual. Hours of classes and random visits from Sancho kept Kalista busy, which Kalista did not mind at all. Sancho was up in Michel Delving almost every other day to see Kalista, he loved her company and Kalista loved his. Before long, flowers began to show up at the Windlefoots' door for Kalista; beautiful bouquets of roses, lilies and silver belles.
At the school, the romance had become the talk of the town. Everyone wanted to know about Sancho. "Who were his parents and how much money did he have?" asked one of the more well to do girls. "How long were the two courting?" asked another. Kalista did not deny that she liked the attention but she was sure not to reveal all the personal details. She only gave enough to keep all the girls wondering about the relationship.
Soon, Kalista found that not only was her relationship with Sancho blossoming, but she herself was growing too. She grew taller and her body filled out into her full adult form. Her posture had finally improved so she no longer slouched, and she became quite a lovely young lady. She had become 'the swan' Madam Butterwood had promised to her parent's back in the spring, something Kalista never thought would happen.
As the summer came to a close and the September winds blew, it was time for the girls to pack and return to their respective homes. Each girl said good bye to their friends, promising to write and visit each other. It was an emotional time for everyone, including Kalista, she would never forget her classmates and friends and even though she was terrible with correspondences, she promised to try and visit and write to her friends as often as she could.
Once most of Kalista's friends left, Kalista prepared to walk back to the Windlefoots' to pack, she expected her parents to pick her up the next day and wanted to make sure nothing would be left behind. As she walked, she saw Sancho waiting down the lane. He wore a straw had and was chewing a piece of wheat and smiling at Kalista.
Kalista returned the smile and ran to meet Sancho. The two embraced and decided to go for a walk before Kalista returned to the Whitefoots'.
Standing under the shade of the big oak tree, Kalista and Sancho shared another embrace. No words were spoken for none were needed. The summer had taken them from acquaintances, to friends, to something more. A leaf fell from the tree above and Kalista reluctantly let go of Sancho. "Your going to come to visit aren't you?" she asked, breaking their silence.
Sancho nodded, "As often as I can; after the harvest, I can come as often as I want, my Da said so."
Kalista smiled as Sancho leaned in and kissed her forehead and then down to her lips. Their kiss was sweet and soft as the September wind. When they pulled away, Sancho brought his hand up and caressed Kalista's face and looked at her thoughtfully, as if he wanted to say something but did not want to ruin the moment. "Kalista, can I tell you a secret?"
Kalista looked up at Sancho, giggled at his politeness. She nodded quickly, curious to know what he wanted to say. Sancho then bent down and whispered into her ear, "I love you."
Kalista's heart skipped a beat and she didn't know what to say. Sancho looked at her face, unsure if the feelings were returned or not but soon, his fears were put to rest when Kalista smiled and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I love you too!" she replied.
They hugged once more before a call came for Sancho, ending the tender moment. Sancho let go, kissed her cheek, and reluctantly walked away. Kalista stood alone and watched him leave, fading off slowly in the distance.
Back at the Windlefoots', Kalista packed her newly bought dresses, ribbons, and jewelry, making sure she left nothing behind. When she walked over to the dresser drawer to grab her stationary, Kalista found the letter from Frodo that she had yet to finish. She skimmed the letter from where he talked about her family to his plans to coming to Michel Delving for a visit. Unfortunately, the day he and Bilbo were to come up, it had rained terribly and the trip was canceled.
Kalista missed Frodo and everyone and could not wait to see them and tell about all her fun this summer. She was about to finish the letter when Emily barged into the room. Looking up, Kalista smiled and greeted the other girl. "Hello Emily, what is going on?"
"Me and my parents want to take you to the Michel Delving shopping area. We want to take you on one last shopping spree before you leave, come on," Emily said with a bright smile.
Kalista laughed and agreed and quickly set Frodo's letter back on the dresser. However, when Kalista closed the door to her room, a slight breeze came and knocked the letter off into the waste paper basket Kalista had sitting by the dresser draw. The letter would go forgotten and unfinished. It said:
"The day you return to Hobbiton cannot come soon enough. I miss sitting with you at our tree and I miss reading stories with you and playing jokes on Bilbo. I have realized just how special you are to me and I think my feelings for you have grown into something more than friendship.
I don't know if I should be telling you this, but I have too. If you do not share these feelings with me, I shall understand. It will not hurt me but I just wanted to let you know how I felt.
I shall see you in a few months.
With all my love, Frodo Baggins"
Kalista stood up and waited for the woman to walk away before returning to her slouching position.
After the rest of the girls were looked over, the woman walked back in front of the group and looked at them critically. "Ladies, you are here because you are to be the cream of the crop of the next generation. We are going to train you to be the type of ladies your families will be proud of. I know many of you do not believe me but all your hard work will pay off in the end, you shall see in time."
Despite the warm smile and gentle voice, Kalista saw through the act, and she knew this was going to be one terrible long summer.
After a month of frills, tea times, and many broken combs, two girls had dropped out of 'Madame Butterwood's School for Ladies' and many others were going crazy. Especially Kalista, who found wearing 'girly' dresses everyday quite tiresome. She felt as if she were a child's doll at times. Never had her hair been combed so many times, and her first attempt at wearing makeup was something Kalista never wanted to think about again.
However, lessons were not as bad as she thought they were going to be. Kalista did not mind the dancing, or learning tea etiquette; it was nothing worse then a day with Bilbo. Kalista was a natural with her classes and she soon made many friends. In fact, she was becoming a group favorite with her rebellious nature and constant joking. Unfortunately, Madame Butterwood did not look at Kalista in the same light as the others did.
"Kalista!" a swift voice came from the head of the table.
Kalista looked towards Madam Butterwood innocently, she was sitting with a few other girls and balancing a silver spoon on her nose.
"What did I just say?" Madam Butterwood asked strictly, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at Kalista menacingly.
Kalista took the teaspoon off of her nose and smiled sweetly at the old woman, "I am sorry Madame Butterwood, I was practicing my balance. Could you repeat the question?" A few of the girls giggled at Kalista's statement but soon fell silent as their instructor glared at them with warning in her eyes.
"How can you learn anything if you're playing around the whole time?"
"I am truly sorry Madame, may I be excused?" Kalista continued her smiling and waited for an answer.
Madame Butterwood looked at her quickly and then sighed, "yes you may."
Kalista hopped out of her chair and started to walk away but then stopped. She turned, politely, curtsied, and then walked out gracefully in her most proper manner.
Once out of the door, Kalista returned to her natural slouch and walked outside towards the gardens. It was mid day and the sun was high, shining brightly in the blue sky. A slight gust of wind wrestled a few strands of Kalista's hair around her face. The flowers in the garden were at full bloom, roses and sunflowers bordering the houses of Michel Delving. However, none of them compared to the flowers of Bag End and Hobbiton.
Kalista was beginning to feel terribly lonely as she thought about the roses and snapdragons. She missed her smial as well. When she first arrived in Michel Delving, she was surprised to see most of the homes and shops were up ground wooded houses, not holes at all. Not that the houses were bad, they were quite cozy but they were not as cozy as the smials or Bag End.
Along the garden path, Kalista came across a large tree. She looked to the strong branches and bright green leaves and immediately thought of Frodo. She missed sitting with him and watching the sunrise and she missed her adventures with him. As Kalista reminisced about her friend, she ran over to the tree and started to climb it. It was a wonderful spot; Kalista could see the main road from where she sat.
Sitting back against the trunk on one of the larger branches, Kalista pulled a letter out of her skirt pocket and opened it. She had almost forgotten she had the letter, being too busy to open it when she received it. The Wax seal cracked as she opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. Unfolding the crisp white paper, Kalista overturned the envelope and smiled as a few red rose petals fell out. It was Frodo's calling card! Kalista's heart jumped excitedly, she had been waiting for a letter from Frodo for weeks and she immediately knew it was from him, since he had sent rose petals the last two times he sent her letters. Looking at the paper, she began reading.
"To My Dearest Friend.
Hullo! I have missed you dearly in the past month. Your family is doing wonderfully, as well. Hamfast's roses are beautiful this year, and Sam is starting to become a little gardener, too. Your mother and sisters are all fine; Marigold gave us all a scare last week with that cough of hers however. But she drank some broth and is feeling much better now.
Hobbiton has been surprisingly busy recently; The annual Summer Solstice Festival was fantastic, I only wish you were hear with me. Things have been quite boring without you. However, it seems you have not been too bored in Michel Delving; Bilbo has been letting me read the letters from Madame Butterwood. Congratulations on your accomplishments!
I cannot wait to see you; Bilbo is bringing me to the Delving in two weeks. He is going on business, but I begged him to take me along so I can visit."
It was then; horse hooves were heard coming up the road. Kalista stopped reading for a moment and looked towards the distance. A cart carrying two hobbits appeared down the road. The driver was an older hobbit while the passenger was a younger hobbit lad, about Frodo's age. Wanting to get a closer look, Kalista crumbled her letter and placed it back into her skirt pocket quickly, she then tried to climb to a lower branch for a better view.
However, Kalista did not test the branch enough and did not realize how breakable it was. Hearing a crack from the branch, Kalista looked down at her height and began to panic. 'This is not good,' she thought to herself when a loud snap erupted and Kalista went tumbling out of the tree. A pain filled moan escaped Kalista's lips as she slowly opened her eyes.
She tried to sit up bit the impact of the fall was too much and she felt dizzy. Laying back, she looked up to the sky. She felt scared, angry and embarrassed all at once. Hopefully, no one saw that fall. A few seconds later, a shadow fell over Kalista and the boy showed himself to Kalista. "Are you all right?" he asked as he knelt beside her. He helped her try to sit up and this time, Kalista did so successfully.
"I think so.I mean, owe." Kalista moaned from a slight bit of pain from her head and then looked up to the boy and smiled shyly.
The boy chuckled and helped her onto her feet. Kalista stood up and popped her back quickly, making sure everything was in place. Standing there with the boy for a moment, Kalista began to feel self conscious and embarrassed at her accident. He must have thought she was strange. Looking up to him, she smiled politely and extended her hand, "Thank you Mr..?"
"Sancho, Sancho Millbanks," Replied the boy with a smile as he accepted her hand and shook it politely. "I've never seen you around before, did you just move here?"
"Well, not really, I'm hear for the summer," Kalista replied, shaking her head.
Sancho nodded and was about to say something else when he heard his father calling. The older hobbit was beginning to unload his goods and needed Sancho's help. Sancho looked back over to Kalista and smiled, "Well, it was nice to meet you." Taking Kalista's hand, Sancho kissed it sweetly before trotting off down the hill to help his father.
Kalista watched him leave and could not help but feel a slight fluttering in her heart. He was a good-looking lad, polite and considerate. She wondered how often he came to Michel Delving. Would she get to speak with him again?
"Kalista Gamgee!" called Madam Butterwood from the edge of the garden. "Are you going to stand their all day? It is time for your speech lessons."
Kalista let out an irritated sigh before straightening up and looking in the older woman's direction, "Coming Madam Butterwood!" Taking one last look at the boy, Kalista smiled and then turned back to the school.
Later that night, back at the Windlefoot's, Kalista changed into one of her new dresses and then walked into the dinning room for supper. The Windlefoot's were one or the more wealthy families in Michel Delving. They were good friends of Bilbo's from what Kalista understood and that was how arrangements were made for her to stay with them for the summer. They owned one of the larger smials in the Delving and one of the more comfortable ones too. Mr. And Mrs. Windelfoot were an elderly couple but full of life. They had a daughter, older than Kalista who also went to Madam Butterwood's school. Kalista didn't mind staying with them, they were sweet people and did not mind the way Kalista acted or dressed; though they often pushed for her education.
Mrs. Windlefoot and Emily were setting the table with plates, spoons, and glasses while Mr. Windlefoot fixed the fire in the common room. Extra seats were set at the table for Madam Butterwood and two other guests whom Kalista did not know about. She was terribly curious as to whom the guests were.
Soon, someone knocked on the door and Mr. Whitefoot went to greet the guests while Kalista, Mrs. Whitefoot, and Emily took seats at the table. At the door, Mr. Whitefoot welcomed two gentlehobbits inside the smial, along with Madam Butterwood.
Kalista was surprised to see the two gentlehobbits were none other, than Sancho Milbanks and his father. A chill of excitement pierced through Kalista and she stood immediately to welcome the guests. Taking their coats and hats, Kalista led them all into the dinning area and then placed the clothing on a bed in one of the back rooms.
Dinner was still being prepared so while Emily and Mrs. Whitefoot went to finish cooking, Kalista sat with Sancho and the two chatted. Through the talk, Kalista learned that Sancho's family were farmers from Hardbottle. They were one of the more well to do families in the area and were invited by the Whitefoots for dinner while making a stop before going to Madam Butterwood's school.
Kalista loved listening to Sancho's gentle but confident voice and from the way he talked, he knew his way around the farm like Kalista knew her way with a sewing needle. He would take over the family farm after his father, in a few years.
When dinner was swerved, everyone became silent and ate their share of potatoes, chicken, and tomatoes. Everyone except Kalista; she was not too hungry and all she could do was watch Sancho as he ate. It was as if no one else in the world existed but him. He was a good-looking lad: his hair was a curly mop of light brown with highlights of a light sandy color. His nose was thin, just floating above his cupid like pink lips. His eyes were a dark brown and gentle. Every time Kalista looked at them, she could not help but smile.
Before Kalista realized it, Emily was looking at her and giggling. Kalista snapped out of her trance and looked over at the fawn-toned girl beside her, "What's your problem?" she whispered to Emily. Emily continued to giggle and smiled at Kalista, "You've only been staring at Mr. Millbanks through the entire supper."
Kalista frowned at the comment and shook her head, "No I haven't, and if I were, it's none of your concern."
"Nonsense, Kallie," Returned Emily with a smile and she risked a short glance at Sancho from across the table. "It is so obvious you like..."
Just then, Sancho looked over to the two girls and smiled shyly as if wondering what Emily was about to say.
"Silver belles, it is obvious you like silver belles," Emily said with a smile. "They are such lovely flowers."
Kalista felt her cheek become enflames as she smiled and looked between Emily to Sancho. "Of course, they are the most beautiful flower, I think."
"Are they, now?" asked Sancho with intrigue. Kalista nodded and the conversation ended there. During the rest of the dinner, Kalista was making a mental note to kill Emily before bedtime.
That Friday, Kalista happily walked down towards a grove of trees just outside of Michel Delving. She carried with her a small, blue leather bound book to read. Friday's were always 'free days' at the school, so Kalista had the chance to relax instead of studying her usual lessons. Today, she thought she would find a quiet place to read before meeting the Windlefoot's for tea.
With book in hand, Kalista walked off to the near by pond and sat under one of the larger trees to read. The lake was quiet and peaceful, except for the random chirping of birds, which Kalista didn't mind at all. Opening the book, Kalista turned to the page she had left off on and began reading silently. She hadn't quite figured out why Bilbo, of all hobbits, was in possession of a romance novel. Most of his books were for "educational purposes" but before Kalista left, she had scanned the shelf and found this little treasure. It was a most interesting story about a young girl whom fell in love with two hobbit boys and was forced to choose between them of them.
As Kalista read, she started to tune out the world, focusing on the words and the poetry the words created. Lines flowing across the page created beautiful patterns of curls and straits.
.Watching the road from the window, Elanor noticed a cart coming down the long dirt path. She watched closely, not sure what to think, after all, no one ever came this far out into the country. She watched curiously for a moment as the cart came into view. And at that moment, her heart skipped a beat. On her lips grew a smile and was soon followed by her running out of the house and to the road, startling her mother and the chicken sitting outside by the door, sending a flurry of wings and loose feathers in the air. Tickling her nose and the back of.
Suddenly, Kalista jumped when she felt something rush across the back of her neck. Placing her hand to the back of her neck, she felt some someone's hand pull away. She looked up, not knowing whom to expect and was slightly surprised to see Sancho standing behind her. "Well, hullo Sancho Millbanks," she said, smiling and closing the book.
Sancho smiled and walked around to stand in front of Kalista. He was holding something behind his back and blushed as he revealed his gift. A stem of silver belles freshly picked from one of the gardens. Kalista blushed immediately and accepted the flowers. Bringing them to her nose, she drowned herself in their fragrance.
"Do you mind if I sit here with you?" he asked.
"Not at all, I was curious if I would see you again," She said, then bit her bottom lip, mentally scolding herself at her bluntness. Sancho did not seem to mind though; he laughed slightly and took a seat beside her under the tree. His laugh was music to her ears; warm and inviting like the sunrise on an April morning.
"I'm surprised I didn't say that myself," countered Sancho, relieving the nervous feelings Kalista had. Soon, both hobbits were laughing at their boldness with each other.
The two sat for some time, talking about random topics from family to the weather, why Kalista was in the Delving and how long Sancho would be there as well. To Kalista, all time had stopped and no one else existed except her and Sancho. Neither could remember what the two talked about, it did not matter. All that mattered was that for the first time that summer, Kalista was happy.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. Teatime was approaching rapidly and Kalsita was expected at the Whitefoots'. Sancho walked Kalista home then, enjoying the last of her company. The boy watched Kalista as she walked gracefully down the road, holding her strand of silver belles and her book. On the porch of the Whitefoots' smial, Sancho took Kalista's hand and kissed it, as he had done on the first day of their meeting. He then left Kalista, promising to talk to her before he and his father left Michel Delving.
Kalista watched Sancho walked down the lane and sighed. "Sancho Millbanks." she said softly, letting the name roll off her tongue. Biting her lip, she smiled and walked into the smial with a happy heart.
The summer continued on as usual. Hours of classes and random visits from Sancho kept Kalista busy, which Kalista did not mind at all. Sancho was up in Michel Delving almost every other day to see Kalista, he loved her company and Kalista loved his. Before long, flowers began to show up at the Windlefoots' door for Kalista; beautiful bouquets of roses, lilies and silver belles.
At the school, the romance had become the talk of the town. Everyone wanted to know about Sancho. "Who were his parents and how much money did he have?" asked one of the more well to do girls. "How long were the two courting?" asked another. Kalista did not deny that she liked the attention but she was sure not to reveal all the personal details. She only gave enough to keep all the girls wondering about the relationship.
Soon, Kalista found that not only was her relationship with Sancho blossoming, but she herself was growing too. She grew taller and her body filled out into her full adult form. Her posture had finally improved so she no longer slouched, and she became quite a lovely young lady. She had become 'the swan' Madam Butterwood had promised to her parent's back in the spring, something Kalista never thought would happen.
As the summer came to a close and the September winds blew, it was time for the girls to pack and return to their respective homes. Each girl said good bye to their friends, promising to write and visit each other. It was an emotional time for everyone, including Kalista, she would never forget her classmates and friends and even though she was terrible with correspondences, she promised to try and visit and write to her friends as often as she could.
Once most of Kalista's friends left, Kalista prepared to walk back to the Windlefoots' to pack, she expected her parents to pick her up the next day and wanted to make sure nothing would be left behind. As she walked, she saw Sancho waiting down the lane. He wore a straw had and was chewing a piece of wheat and smiling at Kalista.
Kalista returned the smile and ran to meet Sancho. The two embraced and decided to go for a walk before Kalista returned to the Whitefoots'.
Standing under the shade of the big oak tree, Kalista and Sancho shared another embrace. No words were spoken for none were needed. The summer had taken them from acquaintances, to friends, to something more. A leaf fell from the tree above and Kalista reluctantly let go of Sancho. "Your going to come to visit aren't you?" she asked, breaking their silence.
Sancho nodded, "As often as I can; after the harvest, I can come as often as I want, my Da said so."
Kalista smiled as Sancho leaned in and kissed her forehead and then down to her lips. Their kiss was sweet and soft as the September wind. When they pulled away, Sancho brought his hand up and caressed Kalista's face and looked at her thoughtfully, as if he wanted to say something but did not want to ruin the moment. "Kalista, can I tell you a secret?"
Kalista looked up at Sancho, giggled at his politeness. She nodded quickly, curious to know what he wanted to say. Sancho then bent down and whispered into her ear, "I love you."
Kalista's heart skipped a beat and she didn't know what to say. Sancho looked at her face, unsure if the feelings were returned or not but soon, his fears were put to rest when Kalista smiled and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I love you too!" she replied.
They hugged once more before a call came for Sancho, ending the tender moment. Sancho let go, kissed her cheek, and reluctantly walked away. Kalista stood alone and watched him leave, fading off slowly in the distance.
Back at the Windlefoots', Kalista packed her newly bought dresses, ribbons, and jewelry, making sure she left nothing behind. When she walked over to the dresser drawer to grab her stationary, Kalista found the letter from Frodo that she had yet to finish. She skimmed the letter from where he talked about her family to his plans to coming to Michel Delving for a visit. Unfortunately, the day he and Bilbo were to come up, it had rained terribly and the trip was canceled.
Kalista missed Frodo and everyone and could not wait to see them and tell about all her fun this summer. She was about to finish the letter when Emily barged into the room. Looking up, Kalista smiled and greeted the other girl. "Hello Emily, what is going on?"
"Me and my parents want to take you to the Michel Delving shopping area. We want to take you on one last shopping spree before you leave, come on," Emily said with a bright smile.
Kalista laughed and agreed and quickly set Frodo's letter back on the dresser. However, when Kalista closed the door to her room, a slight breeze came and knocked the letter off into the waste paper basket Kalista had sitting by the dresser draw. The letter would go forgotten and unfinished. It said:
"The day you return to Hobbiton cannot come soon enough. I miss sitting with you at our tree and I miss reading stories with you and playing jokes on Bilbo. I have realized just how special you are to me and I think my feelings for you have grown into something more than friendship.
I don't know if I should be telling you this, but I have too. If you do not share these feelings with me, I shall understand. It will not hurt me but I just wanted to let you know how I felt.
I shall see you in a few months.
With all my love, Frodo Baggins"
