Chapter One
The Shire
Bag End
Three years earlier.
It was mid summer, and Bilbo prepared for the Mid summer's Eve feast. As he was doing that, Bilbo's cousin, Mortimer, came for a visit, alongside with a female hobbit, whom strongly resembled Bilbo, but with longer, curlier hair. "Mortimer, whom did you bring with you?" asked Bilbo. "Bilbo, I came to tell you some news, that will shock you. I will explain to you after I make the introduction. This is Miss Bernadette Baggins, your sister." said Mortimer. "Sister?! I have a sister?! I thought I was the only child?!" exclaimed Bilbo, shocked on hearing the news of having a sister, and also surprised and delighted, and confused as well.
"Your mother separated you two because of Lobelia Sackville Baggins. Lobelia would stop at nothing to ruin the family, if she found out about the second child, and to save for losing your home. So what your mother done, was she left Bernadette under my care." said Mortimer.
"But what if Lobelia would find out about her now?" asked Bilbo. "She knows that Bernadette is staying with me. Lobelia thinks there is something of Bernadette she doesn't like, and wants to banish her from the Shire. In fact, she has threatened me she would speak to the Thain of this matter." said Mortimer. "Bernadette has done no wrong, why would she do this?" asked Bilbo. "She had Bernadette out of wedlock. She wasn't married to your father yet, when she became pregnant with Bernadette." said Mortimer. Hearing this horrified Bilbo. His mother never told him any of this.
He could understand Lobelia's anger, but attempted to banish an innocent hobbit from her home is a wrong thing to do. "What should I do then?" asked Bilbo. "Bernadette shall be living with you, if you don't mind." said Mortimer. Bilbo smiled. "I don't mind at all. And it delights me now I know I have a sister." said Bilbo, taking Bernadette's hands. "Don't you two go around cause any trouble!" teased Mortimer. "I will never cause an trouble, Mortimer. I'm not that way, but Bernadette probably is." grinned Bilbo. "Hey!" said Bernadette, giving Bilbo a playful side glance. "See you two at the Midsummer's Eve festivities!" said Mortimer, and he left Bilbo's home.
"Bilbo, I don't have anything decent to wear to the festivities." said Bernadette. "Don't worry. I can fix that. We're going to the market, and I'm going to buy you the finest gown in the Shire!" grinned Bilbo. "Bilbo, you really don't have to-really, you shouldn't." protested Bernadette. "You're my sister! I like for you to look your best this evening. Don't try to get out of this, Bernadette. You're getting a new dress." said Bilbo. And so Bernadette went with Bilbo into town. They entered a boutique. An older hobbit woman approached them. "How may I help you today?" asked the older woman gently.
"Yes, I'm here to buy my sister a dress!" said Bilbo. "Oh, Bilbo! This one is nice! I want this!" said Bernadette. "Oh! Yes, the dress would most definitely look good at you, dear. And it brings out your eyes. You want to try it on?" said the older woman. Bernadette nodded. The older hobbit woman took the gown down, handed it to Bernadette. Bernadette went into another room to try on the dress. She shortly came out, and spun around. "Well? What do you think?" asked Bernadette. "You look lovely, Bernadette!" smiled Bilbo, and he handed coins to the older lady. "Don't worry about changing dear, since your brother paid for it already!" smiled the older woman.
And Bernadette and Bilbo left the boutique, Bernadette now wearing her new dress. "Oh drat! Double drat!" exclaimed Bernadette. "What's wrong, Bernadette?" said Bilbo. "Look who's out and about too!" said Bernadette pointing ahead of them. "Oh for the love of-Bernadette, lets go home now!" hissed Bilbo, grabbing Bernadette by the hand, and they took off running. It was Lobelia who they saw ahead of them. "I know a short cut, follow me!" said Bilbo, as they ran.
They took a quick short cut to Bilbo's home. It wasn't long until they arrived at home, and they entered. Both hobbits sat in their armchairs, panting. "That was close!" sighed Bernadette. "You're telling me." said Bilbo. Bernadette looked sad. "Bernadette, what's wrong?" asked Bilbo. "Why does Lobelia hate me so much?" asked Bernadette. "Its over something silly, Bernadette. You really shouldn't worry about it. No one pays any attention to that spoiled brat of a hobbit anyway." said Bilbo. "Lobelia was always never like this was she?" asked Bernadette.
"To be honest, she never was like this, until she married Otho." said Bilbo. "Oh." said Bernadette. Evening came for the Midsummer's Eve festivities, and Bilbo and Bernadette went.
They danced and sang, listening to stories, and of course the food and fireworks, provided by Gandalf. "Who is that tall man firing the fireworks?" asked Bernadette. "That's Gandalf! He's a wizard. Our family had been friends with him for years." said Bilbo. "Wow! A real wizard!" grinned Bernadette. Bernadette felt quite fascinated with the wizard. Maybe he has wonderful stories of his own, she would love to hear. "Do you think you can invite him over for supper?" asked Bernadette. "I really don't know, Bernadette. He's a wizard. He's always busy." said Bilbo.
"Oh, please invite him over!" pleaded Bernadette. "You're going to keep bugging me until I do, are you?" asked Bilbo. "Yes." said Bernadette. Bilbo sighed. "Very well." said Bilbo. When the fireworks ended, Bilbo went to speak to Gandalf for a few minutes, and he invited the wizard over for supper tomorrow night. Meanwhile, Bernadette stood, dancing along to the merry music that is still playing from a group of hobbit musicians standing on a small stage nearby. As she danced, she caught attention of a hobbit named Ervin Bracegirdle. Ervin smiled. "Miss Baggins! You don't mind dancing with me?" asked Ervin.
Bernadette smiled. "I will be honored to dance with you, Ervin!" said Bernadette.
Bernadette and Ervin had been friends since early age, and they danced together for quite a while. Suddenly Lobelia noticed the two dancing. She scowled. And she approached the two hobbits. "You shouldn't be dancing with this hobbit. She is nothing but trouble, Ervin." scowled Lobelia. "Mrs. Sackville Baggins, she would never do such a thing." argued Ervin. "You stay away from her! And you, young woman, you stay away from any of these hobbits." ordered Lobelia. "You are not my mother, you cannot tell me what to do!" shot back Bernadette.
"You'll be sorry for this, Bernadette Baggins. Mark my words!" snarled Lobelia and she walked away. Bernadette scowled and she quickly walked over to Bilbo and Gandalf. Bilbo introduces Bernadette to the wizard. "Yes, I knew you had a sister. And you two look so much alike. Its hard to tell you apart!" laughed Gandalf. "We need to get home, Bilbo. Lobelia is stirring up trouble again." said Bernadette. "What is she doing now?" snapped Bilbo. "I was only dancing with Ervin Bracegirdle, and she forced him to stop dancing with me, telling him that I'm a trouble maker." said Bernadette.
"Don't pay any attention to her, Bernadette. She's just doing that just to provoke you. But it is getting late, and we should be heading home." said Bilbo. Bernadette nodded. "We'll see you tomorrow night, Gandalf!" said Bilbo. "Good night, Bilbo and Bernadette!" called out Gandalf, and he turned away. The two hobbits arrived at home. Bernadette went to bed soon as they arrived, but Bilbo remained awake a little bit, and done some reading and smoke his pipe, and also thinking over what to make for supper when Gandalf arrives tomorrow night.
The next evening, Gandalf arrived and joined them for supper. Bernadette wanted the wizard to tell her stories of the outside world, because she was quite fascinated with them. "I want to hear about dwarves, Gandalf. Dwarves fascinate me." said Bernadette. "Now why would you want to learn about dwarves for?" asked Bilbo. "Bilbo, don't you find dwarves fascinating? I hope someday I'll meet a real dwarf." said Bernadette. "Oh, brother." said Bilbo rolling his eyes. Gandalf laughed. "Of course, I will tell you about the dwarves." said Gandalf.
And Gandalf begins telling her the history of the race, and the seven kingdoms of the dwarves. But the one that fascinated Bernadette the most, was the Line of Durin, and the dwarven kingdom of Erebor. When Gandalf finished the stories, Bernadette thanked him.
After Gandalf took his departure from Bag End, Bernadette went to bed. And all she dreamt about that night, was of the dwarven Kingdom of Erebor. She wanted to see what it looked like. The next morning, Bilbo found a note on a table. It was from Bernadette, and what he read, alarmed him:
Dear Bilbo,
I decided to go and visit the Kingdom of Ered Luin, since I looked over your maps this morning. Don't worry, I'll return home soon, and I'll be alright.
Sincerely, your sister
Bernadette.
When Bilbo read this, he slammed the letter down angrily on the table. How dare she do this? She was raised as a Baggins, not a Took. He didn't want her to go out in the wild all alone. What happened if something happened to her? All these questions and many more clouded Bilbo's mind, as he stood there in shock after reading the letter. She is going to get a chewing out when she gets back, Bilbo thought.