Chapter 3

Italics - Elvish

Perci watched from the trees as a young hobbit stared down Gandalf and was still amused that neither of them had sensed her watching them from the other side of the road.

"You're late." The young hobbit huffed at the wizard.

"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." The two stared straight faced at one another. Before Gandalf couldn't hold it in any longer. And they both burst out laughing at the same time.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Gandalf!' Frodo launched himself at the wizard in a hug, Gandalf returning it.

"You didn't think I'd miss your Uncle Bilbo's birthday?"

"Or me?" Gandalf and Frodo turned their heads to the trees and saw Perci looking at them with an amused expression on her face.

Frodo's eyes lit up and he launched himself at her as well. "Perci!" He cried out. Perci laughed as she caught him, happy to see him too.

"I'm happy to see you as well, Frodo, and you, Gandalf. It's been too long since I've seen you all!"

"How's Atlantis?" Frodo asked, his eyes bright. His uncle Bilbo had taken him to Atlantis on his birthday every year since Frodo's parents had died and he loved going.

"Just as it was six months ago when you last visited. Speaking of which, Gandalf, when you have a moment, I need to speak with you."

Although Perci was smiling, Gandalf couldn't help but notice the seriousness in her eyes.

"Of course, my friend." The three of them chatted and continued on the road a bit longer before Frodo went on his separate way while Perci and Gandalf continued on.

"What is it?"

"I had a visit from Lord Ulmo a few days ago."

Gandalf stiffened. "And?"

"My purpose for being brought here is coming very soon… Gandalf, I fear it is the cause of the darkness that has swamped Middle Earth recently."

"You've sensed it as well?"

"Although Atlantis hasn't been touched by it, I have ears and those that travel and come to me have told tales of the darkness growing."

"We'll have to discuss this in more detail later on. Come now, it's Bilbo's birthday. Let's not drag it down by any negative feelings or thoughts of the future."

linebreak

Later that night the party had begun. The meadow was filled to the brim with Hobbits. Tents and lanterns dotted the countryside. Perci was surrounded by several of the hobbits that had visited, or planned to visit, Atlantis and had come to known them very well throughout the years.

Not far away sat Bilbo with the younger generation of hobbits, capturing them in the tales of their adventure and his trips to Atlantis since.

It was a grand event that had taken months to plan as Bilbo was one of the only hobbits to have lived to his age and still be as healthy as he was when he was ninety. Perci had kept an eye on Bilbo throughout the night as Frodo had told her Bilbo had been acting odd, even for him. He had been sequestering himself in his study more and more and refused to tell Frodo, even Perci and Gandalf when they asked, what he was planning.

All of a sudden there was a large explosion from one of the tents.

A firework of Gandalf's had went off and the hobbits oo'd and aa'd like they were supposed to. But then the firework - which isn't like any other fireworks because Gandalf is a wizard - turned into a lifelike dragon and swooped down low, heading towards the party.

"Bilbo!" Frodo cried out, coming over and trying to usher his uncle to safety. "Bilbo, there is a dragon coming!"

"Nonsense! There hasn't been a dragon in these parts for a thousand years! And the only dragons left on Middle Earth are in Atlantis!" Frodo pulled Bilbo down just in time for the dragon to swoop down before exploding into sparks.

There was silence all around until the hobbits began to cheer. Perci had watched all of this with a smile, not moving at all from where she was sat on a tree stump, crunching on a green apple a hobbit by the name of Rosie had given to her.

She looked over just in time to see Gandalf grab Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took by the ears and drag them off. She shook her head, those two reminded her of the Stolls more then any other in Middle Earth. She laughed at the punishment Gandalf gave them.

They were made to wash the dishes and weren't allowed one bite of the birthday cake.

An hour later, the hobbits finally got Bilbo to make a speech.

"Fellow Hobbits! Today is my 111th birthday."

"HAPPY BIRHDAY!" The other hobbits cheered.

"But alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable Hobbits. I don't half as well as I would like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." The hobbits looked at each other confused. Perci glanced at her friend beside her to see him smoking on his pipe before turning her attention back onto Bilbo. "I, uh," Bilbo began to reach into his pocket, something that Perci had seen him do hundreds of times throughout the years she had known him. "I ha-have things to do." Bilbo took something out of his pocket and put his hands behind his back. "I've put this off for far too long. I regret to announce this is the end."

And then he disappeared.