Disclaimer: Gandalf, the Shire, the Horse and Hobbits don't belong to me.
Author's Note: I apologize for any mistakes. Constructive criticism is always welcome!
A Crown of Daisies
By NuttyGummy
The air smelled sweetly of flowers and the sun shone brightly down upon the Shire. A hobbit lass sat in a field of daises, humming a song she had made up. Her tongue stuck out between her lips as she concentrated on the flowers she was stringing together.
"A crown of daisies fit for a queen!" She sang in her young, shrill voice.
"A crown of daises just for me!" She plucked another daisy from the ground and wove it in with the rest.
"It sits upon my head like a crown," The young hobbit jumped to her feet and daintily set the crown on her curly head.
"Upon my head sits a crown of daisies!"
She giggled and began to spin around in dizzy circles and then came to a stop before staggering after brightly colored butterflies.
Still signing her song she swept her crown off her head, leaving her hair frizzy mess. She ran off towards the dirt road that leads to her home, her voice loudly ringing out to anyone who was close enough to hear.
She stopped running in fearful fascination.
Down the road, coming at her was a creaky, old wagon, pulled along by a large brown horse. She shrieked in fear as the wagon stopped beside her. Never in all her short life had she seen such a frightening site! The horse was taller than her hobbit hole! The big man looked menacingly at her from under a blue, pointed hat. "You really must be more watchful of where you are going little one." His voice rumbled like distant thunder. His clothes reminded her of dark, gray clouds.
She shrieked again! This time she wasn't sure if she was afraid or not.
"Whatever is that matter?" The gray man asked. "Are you frightened?"
She shook her head, paused in mid shake and began to nod rapidly. She looked thoughtfully at the sky for a moment and then shook her head again, her hair bouncing at her face.
"Don't you know?"
"No." she whispered.
The brown horse poked its long nose at her shoulder in a friendly gesture. The hobbit backed up, another shriek rising in her throat.
"Be nice." The gray man gently swatted the horse's rump with his hand. The Horse whinnied and looked back at the man aloofly.
The hobbit lass giggled and hid a smiled behind her hands.
"What is your name little one?" The gray man asked gently, smiling too.
"I'm not little! I'm five!" She proudly held up five fingers.
"That is quite old."
"Daisy." She said walking by the old man and climbing up to the seat of his wagon.
"What?" he asked, holding a hand behind her, lest she slip and fall.
"Daisy is my name." she peered into the back of the wagon. "What are all these things for?"
"They're a gift for a friend."
"Is it your birthday today?"
"No, but it is my friends birthday tomorrow."
"Well you don't have to get him a present until it's your birthday."
"Yes, I suppose you're right."
"Who's your friend?"
"Bilbo."
"Oh! Bilbo! He has hidden treasure in his hole and my bestest friend and me are going to find it!"
The man's shoulders shook with laughter. "Where are your mother and father?"
Daisy looked at him hard. "At home." She turned a brown package over in her hands.
"What is your name?" She asked turning around and plopping down on wagon bench.
"Gandalf."
"Gan-" she tried to form the rest of the name with her lips. "Your name is too hard!"
Gandalf smiled fondly. "Perhaps it is a little hard to pronounce."
"That's all right!" Daisy giggled happily. "You can be my Flower Prince!"
Gandalf raised his bushy eyebrows, amusement and question showing in his older and wise eyes. "Flower Prince?"
Daisy clapped her hands loudly, "I am the Daisy Queen and you are my Flower Prince!"
"If you insist." Gandalf set his large hat in the back of the wagon. "Would you like a ride home?"
"Oh yes!" Daisy bounced on the seat. "Yes!" She placed the her crown of daisies on her head. "I live over there." She pointed up the road. "A crown of daisies fit for a queen! Daisy sang as the wagon began to roll down the road.
"That's a pretty little song."
"I made it up." Said Daisy, drawing up her knees and crawling closer to Gandalf. She pulled on the edge of his long sleeve. "Sing with me!" She took the daisy chain from her head and firmly placed it onto Gandalf's.
Gandalf looked down at her surprised.
Daisy began to sing again. "Can't we change the words to a crown of daisies fit for a king . . . or prince?" Gandalf straightened his crown.
"No, that's not how the song goes."
"All right." Gandalf sat a little straighter and began to sing. "A crown of daisies fit for a queen."
"Stop!" Daisy suddenly howled.
"Yes?" Gandalf looked at her in alarm.
"I live here." She looked at him shyly before climbing down from the high seat.
Gandalf laughed loudly and bent over as Daisy gestured with a tiny finger. "Goodbye my sweet Flower Prince." She said softly, patting his wrinkled cheek. She ran into her hobbit hole, merrily shrieking.
"Now as long as Saruman doesn't find out about this." Gandalf flicked the reigns and drove on, humming a little tune, a crown of daisies upon his head.
The End