As the moon cast its silvery glow through the rounded window, Bilbo tossed and turned restlessly in her bed, her mind consumed by troubled thoughts and unsettling dreams. In her sleep, she found herself standing in a dark, shadowy cave, though not connected to her body, the air was thick with an ominous sense of foreboding.

Suddenly, a faint glimmer caught her eye, drawing her attention to a small, golden ring lying on the ground before her. The ring seemed to pulse with an otherworldly light, its surface etched with strange, twisting runes that seemed to shift and writhe like living things.

Against the screaming of her thoughts, Bilbo's body reached out to touch the ring, compelling her to claim it as her own. With trembling fingers, she lifted the ring from the ground, feeling its weight settle heavily in her palm.

But as soon as she touched the ring, a voice whispered in her ear, soft and insidious, yet filled with a seductive allure. "Bilbo," it murmured, its tone honeyed and persuasive. "You are destined for greatness. With this ring, you could wield unimaginable power, shape the world to your will, and command the respect and fear of all who dare to defy you." Bilbo's soul screamed out in terror, It knew that this voice was no friend, It was like a spider, weaving her into a trap of death and she was helpless against it.

Bilbo's eyes widened in horror as she felt it sought to ensnare her soul in its dark embrace.

With a cry of fear and desperation, Bilbo hurled the ring away from her, watching in horror as it vanished into the darkness of the cave, leaving only a lingering sense of dread in its wake.

Gasping for breath, Bilbo jolted awake, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled to shake off the lingering tendrils of the nightmare. Bilbo groaned, That dream again, as long as she could remember she had dreams of a golden ring, of dark caves, and darker promises. The dreams were so vivid that she could swear that she actually lived them.

Deciding that she would get no more sleep that night, Bilbo crawled out of bed to light a few candles as she dressed for the day, trousers, she thought to herself as she reminded herself that she would go out to check on the hives. It was still dark out but Bilbo could see where the edges of the night sky softened with the approaching light. Deciding that she was not hungry but could still use something to ease her queasy stomach, Bilbo set about making some mint tea. Mindlessly stoking the fire and putting the kettle on. Once the kettle screamed out its success, Bilbo decided that the fresh air would do her good. Stepping out into the cool night air Bilbo settled herself onto her bench and gazed up at the stars.

In a practiced rhythm, that Bilbo is still not sure where she learned, she goes about organizing her thoughts and feelings. Imagining her emotions like strings, Bilbo detaches them, one by one, from the fabric of her dreams, and gently and carefully weaves them into the fray of her logic and rationality, giving them a different purpose and stain.

She wasn't sure how long she had sat there gazing up at the stars but when she broke herself out from her trance-like state the sun had just shyly peaked out from behind the hills to greet the day in blushing tones.

Bilbo Baggins at age 62 sat upon her bench enjoying the tranquil and serene morning with a warm cup of mint tea in her hands breathing in the wonderfully soothing aroma. The air was crisp and cool, carrying the soft scent of dew-kissed grass and wildflowers. A gentle breeze rustles through the trees, causing the leaves to whisper softly in the early morning light.

She always loved mornings like this, with the Shire bathed in a warm golden glow as the sun rose slowly above the horizon, casting long shadows across the rolling hills and verdant fields. The sky above is a canvas of pastel hues, with delicate shades of pink, orange, and lavender blending together in a breathtaking display of natural beauty.

She sat and listened to the birds greet the morning with their joyful songs, their melodies filling the air with a sense of peace and tranquility. The distant sound of a rooster crowing echoed through the countryside, heralding the start of a new day and Bilbo sat and enjoyed it.

As the morning unfolds, the Shire comes alive with activity, yet there is an undeniable sense of calm and stillness that pervades the air. It is a moment of quiet contemplation and reflection, a time to pause and appreciate the simple beauty of nature in all its glory.

"Bilbo Fay Baggins!" the shrill voice shatters the tranquility, very nearly sending poor Bilbo tumbling down on her rear and spilling some of her precious tea on her hands. From up the road, like some avenging angel of death, Lobelia Bracegirdle (almost Sackville-Baggins) came marching up the path, head held high. Despite having the women's loyalty and friendship, which was a surprising turn of events given everything, Bilbo still had the urge to duck and cover whenever the woman came calling, especially when she used Bilbo's full name like that, It meant that she was bound and determined to get her way, and her way usually forced Bilbo into the public spotlight, mentality Bilbo cringed.

"Lobelia, What a pleasant surprise, especially on this fine morning. How do you do?" Bilbo greeted, nodding her head in acknowledgment. She hoped that the pleasantry would distract the woman long enough that she could come up with some sort of excuse to get out of there.

"Don't you play niceties with me, Fay, you know damn well what I'm doing here, so don't you play coy. You should know better by now! You have a reputation to maintain and it's hard enough for me to keep it up for you without you doing something foolish like this!" Lobelia fumed. Bilbo let out a long drawn-out sigh, pinched her nose, and glanced up at the woman in front of her.

"Alright fine, let's talk, but let's do it inside if you're so insistent on pursuing the issue," Bilbo said before standing up and walking up to her spring green round door without so much as looking back to see if Lobelia was following her.

"I'm not sorry for breaking his nose" Bilbo replied stubbornly as soon as both women crossed the threshold and the door was closed. "Tea?" she asked suddenly before heading into the kitchen, relighting the embers for another batch and pulling out a cup for Lobelia as though indifferent to the situation.

"You shouldn't have lashed out in the first place" Lobelia screeched waving her arms around to emphasize her point, as she went over to the cupboard to pull out the sugar for their tea.

"He more than deserved it," Bilbo grumbled, as she pulled out Lobelia's favorite chamomile tea and set it on the counter, waiting for the water to boil. Lobelia scoffed.

"Everyone knows Oleo Hornblower is a greasy tub of fat but he's all talk and no trousers, you shouldn't have lost your temper and resorted to violence like that. You need to apologize to that man." Lobelia scolded. The kettle whistles its competition once more and Bilbo goes about pouring the boiling water into their prepared cups.

"No, he was talking about the kids AND he got grabby," Bilbo said with a furious scowl, slamming down the empty kettle with more force than necessary. At this news, Lobelia set the cup that was steadily approaching her lips abruptly down.

"What happened?" she demanded Bilbo with a scarily intense look, Bilbo was almost scared to answer her for Oleo's sake, almost.

"Last evening I went to the Green Dragon to deliver some of my Honey Ale and Oleo Hornblower and his slimy friends were there drunk off their senses, At first I didn't think anything of them but then he started making some comments about me, saying how it was such a shame that I never married, I ignored him of course, but it soon became more vulgar. Things like how a woman of my stature would be a fine prize to win and how comely I still am and their sick fantasies on how I could please them." Bilbo explained, voice tight with barely hidden fury, she took a drink of tea in hopes to soothe her rage somewhat.

"That isn't anything new Bilbo, especially at the Green Dragon" Lobelia's face was pinched at the news but still steadfast in her judgement.

"That's the least of it," Bilbo promised. "It was then they started talking about the kids, how distasteful it was that I earned my right as Master of Bag End to be able to keep my home, how annoying it was that I was "forced" to adopt the kids in a "bargain" for Bag End. That if the kids weren't attached they would have courted me a long time ago." Bilbo stopped and had to take a deep breath before continuing. "That's when Oleo noticed me," Bilbo said, her voice trembling with indignation. "He stumbled over, reeking of ale and arrogance, and had the audacity to reach out and try to touch me. Telling me that even though I was burdened with "insufferable brats" I could still be a good lay. I shoved him away, of course, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. He grabbed my arm, leering at me with those disgusting eyes, and tried to pull me closer. So I broke his sorry nose and I bloody well enjoyed it."

Lobelia's expression darkened with anger as she listened to Bilbo's account. "That despicable swine," she screeched, clenching her fists and shooting up from her chair. The next forty minutes consisted of Lobelia's angry screeches as she paced back and forth with Bilbo cooling her ire by fondly remembering the crunch of Oleo's nose under her fist and sipping her mint tea.

"I won't stand for it," Lobelia vowed, her voice fierce. "I refuse to let anyone treat my family with such disrespect. I'll make sure that Oleo Hornblower and anyone else who dares to behave like him face the consequences of their actions." she declared before stomping back out the door to set whatever diabolical plan she had for Oleo in motion.

Bilbo let out a small amused smile at Lobelia's retreating form. Who would have thought that Lobelia and Bilbo would have ended up as friends? Sisters if Bilbo was being honest. Certainly not her if you asked Bilbo 30 years ago. As Bilbo got up to wash out her cup and start her first breakfast she let her mind wander back to the bitter-sweet memories of 30 years ago.


It was over, everything was finally over, the harsh winter that had starved and plagued them for an entire year was finally over, and Bilbo, well Bilbo was numb. More than the fading cold and the starvation that pulled and scared her malnourished frame. Her parents were dead, she had buried them, had sung the song of mourning to release their souls to Yavanna with hope and goodwill for their next life but it didn't change anything. Somehow, deep in her heart, she knew that this would happen, that she would be alone, and had accepted it long before her parents passed though her heart and mind cried out in protest.

She hadn't cried, not once, since she had found her mother's stiff form clutched in her father's arms, wailing and screaming like a madman, pleading with Yavanna to take him with her, until he suddenly stopped, gave a strange little smile to his daughter though his eyes were unseeing, and passed away clutching the women he loved with his every fiber close to his form with a smile on his face. His heart gave out.

Bilbo was only 32, only a couple of months from her majority, and she couldn't feel anything. Not sadness, not anger, peace, and especially not happy. She just felt numb. She was still numb two weeks later when her grandfather, The old Took, came to speak to her about her options.

"My beloved Granddaughter, I'm so sorry that this happened to you." her grandfather said grief coating his voice.

"You couldn't have stopped it," She said looking down at the streaks and whirls of the wood floor, picking at the loose thread of her sleeve. Her Grandfather reached out a weathered hand to clasp her own, sad, tearful eyes met her own.

"It wasn't fair, that's the truth of it, but you are not alone." Bilbo didn't believe him but she wasn't going to say anything. "I'm here to bring you to the Great Smial, with all the other orphans to be placed into new homes." He reassured, patting her hand. That brought a reaction out of Bilbo.

"What?" she asked, snapping out of her distant gaze to focus on him.

"We will go to the Great Smial where all the orphans will be placed into homes," he spoke gently as if explaining to a wounded animal.

"No," she said determinedly, pulling her hand out from his reassuring grip, and clenching her hands into fists.

"My dear Bilbo I understand you're hurting but.."

"No," she spoke again, this time with more conviction. Her grandfather heaved out a heavy sigh.

"My dear girl, you must understand, this is what's best for you." he tried to convince her.

"Then explain to me how this would be in my best interest." She spoke firmly. The Old took looked at her pityingly.

"Bilbo, please, Just trust me on this," he said.

"No. I have a right to know what you believe to be in my best interest, so please share," she said crossing her legs primly as she settled herself into her father's armchair to wait for The Old Took's answer. Her grandfather heaved out a weary sigh and rubbed his face with his hands.

"While I realize your coming-of-age birthday is in a couple of months you are not yet old enough to be on your own." He explained as if to a small sapling. Bilbo just gave him an unimpressed glare and raised a single eyebrow. "The heads of the families are taking in the orphans," he sighed once again rubbing his face as if tired. "You are technically the head of the Baggins," he further explained.

"So what you are saying is, if I deny going to the Great Smial with the other orphans, I'm officially staking my claim as the Baggins heir and as a result will be obligated to take in some of the orphans." she clarified.

"Yes," Her grandfather said, giving her a small pitting smile "Not to mention you would have to undergo a centuries-old trial to prove your worth as the head of the Baggins clan as you are technically underage and technically issuing a challenge as the best candidate, by going with this path anyone could challenge for the position. So you see my dear, it's best to just come with me now. " he said soothingly, but it came across as more condescending than anything.

"If I do go with you and become one of the orphans to take in, whoever adopts me will have the right to claim the title and heritage of the Baggins clan over my own." It wasn't a question. Her Grandfather hesitated briefly.

"Well, yes. But I assure you it's better this way," he said, "The burden would be too heavy for you to bear my dear, Best to leave this to the adults. Besides, think of how hard it would be for you to marry," he laughed "If you were head of the household any man who would wish to court you must first get your express permission, potentially through the trials of devotion, and would have to give up his name for yours unless you had an unquestionable heir to the Baggins clan that is," he chuckled at the thought.

That was it, that was exactly what Bilbo didn't want. If Bilbo gave up now then all the person who adopted her would have to do is agree to a marriage on Bilbo's behalf to keep everything. Bilbo would not inherit anything, not the house, the garden, the generations of Baggins possessions, and perhaps Bilbo could live with that. It wasn't the objects themselves that held value but the memories associated with them and truthfully, Bilbo could carry those around herself. What Bilbo could not live with was the thought of being trapped in a loveless marriage, forced to surrender her autonomy and sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of tradition and inheritance on the whims of another. The idea of being bound to someone she did not love, simply for someone else to secure the Baggins legacy, filled her with a profound sense of dread and despair.

Bilbo's mind raced with conflicting thoughts and emotions as she considered her grandfather's words. On one hand, the idea of being thrust into a position of responsibility at such a young age was daunting. She knew she could handle the Baggins' responsibility, she had been secretly doing so for the last three years under her father's supervision, it was the thought of being responsible for a young hobbit life that unsettled her, that and the thought of undergoing an unknown centuries-old trial sent shivers down her spine. But on the other hand, she couldn't shake the feeling of injustice at being pressured into a decision that would dictate the course of her future by putting it into the hands of another and essentially, hope for the best.

No, Bilbo simply could not let that happen, she refused to be shackled by the expectations and demands of others. She would not allow herself to be reduced to a mere pawn in the games of inheritance and succession. She was determined to forge her own path, to live her life on her own terms, regardless of the consequences. Bilbo made her decision. She would defy convention, defy expectation, and carve out her own destiny, no matter the cost. For in the end, she knew that true wealth and fulfillment could only be found by embracing the freedom to be herself, unapologetically and unabashedly.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Bilbo squared her shoulders and met her grandfather's gaze with determination. "I appreciate your concern, Grandfather, but I cannot simply acquiesce to your wishes without first considering my desires and ambitions," she declared, her voice firm despite the nervous flutter in her stomach.

The Old Took's smile faltered slightly at her defiance, his expression shifting from pitying to slightly irritated. "Bilbo, This isn't a request, this is a decision I've made as Thain of the Shire, this isn't something you can just refuse." he insisted, his tone growing more authoritative.

But Bilbo stood her ground, refusing to be swayed by his attempts to manipulate her. "With all due respect, Grandfather, I refuse to be bound by tradition and expectation," she replied, her voice tinged with a steely resolve. "I will not be coerced into accepting a fate that I did not choose for myself."

Bilbo's grandfather looked sternly at the young woman before him gritting his teeth in annoyance. Finally, he huffed, "All right, I understand." in a kind voice. Bilbo opened her mouth to express her gratitude for his easy acceptance but he interrupted her before she could. "You're still grieving, I'll give you some time, I'll be back tomorrow to collect you," He said as he took up his cane and hobbled out the door.

Bilbo was in shock, did he not hear a word she said? She said no. It was her life, it wasn't a matter of grieving as her grandfather implied, She had made her decision. Bilbo could not help the growing fury that welled within her. Eventually, she pushed it down and let it go, If only for the respect she held for the Old Took. Tomorrow she would explain to him her decision.

The next day came and once again her grandfather dismissed her words citing grieving for her resistance, and gave her more time. For two weeks this continued, and in that time all manner of the family had visited Bilbo to try and convince her, her grandmother, her aunts on her father's side, her uncles on her mother's side, distant relations, and even one or two lads looking to potentially engage her in courtship. To each and every visitor Bilbo said the same thing. "I appreciate your concern," she would say, her voice steady and unwavering, "but this is my decision to make. I refuse to be bound by tradition or coerced into a life I do not want. I am capable of making my own choices, and I will not be swayed."

Some visitors left in frustration, others in disbelief. But Bilbo remained steadfast, her resolve unshakeable. She knew that this was a battle she could not afford to lose, for it was not just her future at stake, but the very essence of her freedom and autonomy.

And so, day after day, she stood her ground, facing down the pressure and expectations of her family with courage and determination. For Bilbo Baggins was not one to be trifled with, and she would fight tooth and nail for the right to live life on her own terms.

Finally, The Old Took officially summoned her before the heads of the families to come to a final decision. Bilbo knew that this would be the ultimate test of her resolve, the moment when she would have to stand firm against the combined weight of tradition and expectation and fully accept the responsibility of accepting children into her life to protect and raise.

As she entered the grand hall where the heads of the families were gathered, Bilbo felt a surge of nervous energy coursing through her veins, was she really ready to be a guiding figure in a child's life? But she refused to let her fear show, instead standing tall and proud, a beacon of defiance amidst a sea of disapproving gazes.

The Old Took rose from his seat at the head of the table, his expression stern as he addressed the gathered assembly. "My fellow hobbits," he began, his voice carrying with the weight of authority, "we have gathered here today to address the matter of Bilbo Baggins and her refusal to comply with the Thain's decision, Bilbo What do you have to say in your defense?"

Bilbo squared her shoulders, meeting the Old Took's gaze with steely determination.

"My dear family, esteemed elders, and fellow hobbits,

I understand the weight of responsibility that comes with being the heir to Bag End. Yes, I am aware of the consequences of my decision to choose to live on my own. There are, without a doubt difficulties in raising adopted children and navigating the responsibilities of adulthood. But I am willing to face those challenges head-on, knowing that I am living true to myself and my own values. And so, It is with a heavy heart that I invoke the Right of Succession" There was a tense silence as the gravity of Bilbo's words hung in the air, her grandfather's expression a mixture of frustration and begrudging respect. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he let out a resigned sigh and nodded in reluctant acceptance. "Very well, Bilbo," he conceded, his voice tinged with resignation. "If that is truly your decision, then so be it. But know that the consequences of your actions will not be easily undone. The trials will commence at dawn tomorrow at the Old Forest."

With that, he turned and made his way to the door, as Bilbo watched him leave, she couldn't help but wonder what challenges lay ahead and whether she was truly prepared to face them head-on. But one thing was certain: she would forge her own path, no matter the cost.

Dawn approached quickly and unforgivably, and as it did the Hobbits gathered at the tree line of the Old Forest.

"The First challenge is simple," the Thain called out to the gathered crowd, "Before the sun sets on this day, Bilbo Fay Baggins must go into the forest, take the bark of the mother tree, and return, all without being caught. Any Hobbit who wishes to challenge for the right of the Baggins' claim may enter this forest to try and catch her by any means necessary. Bilbo, You have a five-minute head start, your time starts now." And with that, The Thain blew into an ancient horn.

Bilbo ran, her heart pounding in her chest as she darted through the dense foliage of the forest. She had five precious minutes to make her move, to outwit any would-be challengers and secure her claim to the Baggins' legacy. With determination fueling her every stride, Bilbo pushed herself forward taking the path with the least trees in her way, her senses on high alert for any sign of danger.

She knew that she would have to get to the tree first, that was the one place the challengers would know she would be, Luckily, she had always been the fastest runner in the shire. She didn't care about leaving a trail behind her, there was no point in trying to hide it. From the distance, she heard the sound of the horn again and knew her time was up. Thankfully she was halfway there. Pushing herself even faster, Bilbo practically flew through the forest. As she approached the Mother tree she breathed out a quick prayer asking for the Mother tree's blessing and permission to use her bark. As quick as she could she took a piece of bark and broke it off while dropping a handkerchief as an offering to the tree before bounding her way to the river. As soon as she had crossed the river she launched herself into the branches, weaving and swinging herself in the opposite direction, back the way she came. She kept to the tops of the trees, moving and twisting herself within the shadows. When she heard noise from the pursuing Hobbits she froze, blending seamlessly with the bark of the trees. It was said that Bilbo's mother had fairy blood and that they lived in the woods. Bilbo dearly hoped that if that was true, her fairy relatives would aid her in her plight and shelter her from sight. A truly frightening number of hobbits came rushing through the clearing following her obvious trail to the tree while Bilbo watched on in distaste, It was almost everyone in the entirety of the shire for Yavannas's sake.

Quickly, but quietly Bilbo continued making her way through the trees. She was almost at the end when suddenly a bird shot in front of her causing her to freeze, only to attack a hobbit hiding in the trees that was too close to her nest. Looking around, there were hobbits on the ground, hiding in bushes waiting for her, and a few in the trees as well. Bilbo silently thanked Yavanna, her potential fairy blood, and the Mother Tree, which could have been a very dangerous slip-up. Deciding to move to the river to see if she could swim her way through, Bilbo found that almost all of the hobbits that were on her trail before were trailing down the river trying to find her.

There was no way, no matter how stealthy Bilbo was, that she could get past that many Hobbits. This left Bilbo in somewhat of a pickle, suddenly she got an idea, Oh was she going to cause a scandal, she gleefully thought to herself. Twenty minutes before the sunset, most hobbits had given up and were lounging around waiting for the elusive woman to show up, and she did. Behind them, dragging damn and blast Jimmy-rigged monstrosity of "The Eagle" she had made as a child with only her bloomers on, wearing the smuggest grin any hobbit had ever seen before.


The next day brought with it the next challenge.

"Alright Bilbo here is your challenge, you have one chance to answer this riddle correctly, should you fail the question will go on to a challenger and you will lose this challenge. I will only say this once so pay attention." The Thain said.

"There are five Smial's in a row with different colored doors. In each house, lives a different clan. The five owners drink a different beverage, smoke a different brand of pipe weed, and keep a different pet. The question is: who owns the fish?

Here are the clues:

The Boffins live in the red door.

The Tooks keep dogs as pets.

The Bradybucks drinks tea.

The green door is on the immediate left of the white door.

The green door's owner drinks coffee.

The person who smokes Pall Mall keeps birds.

The owner of the yellow door smokes Dunhill.

The man living in the center house drinks milk.

The Baggins live in the first house.

The man who smokes Blends lives next to the one who keeps cats.

The man who keeps horses lives next to the one who smokes Dunhill.

The man who smokes Blue Master drinks beer.

The Hornblowers smoke Prince.

The Baggins live next to the blue door.

The man who smokes Blends has a neighbor who drinks water.

The question is: Who owns the fish?" He said finishing off his riddle.

Bilbo folded her hands together in front of her face, Thinking carefully about the riddle, she could hear the muttering behind her as the audience tried to figure it out. Suddenly she snapped her fingers and with a triumphant grin leaned forward to whisper her answer into her grandfather's ear. When she pulled away, the Thain, blinked at her a couple of times in astonishment before nodding his head yes. It was then the gathered crowd, started to kick up a fuss.

"She Cheated!" they cried "There's no way she could have figured it out that fast without already knowing the answer!" Camelia Sackville-Baggins cried in particular. Bilbo simply sat, hands folded as she watched her grandfather as he took a draw of his pipeweed and gave her a contemplative look. Finally, he held out his hand to silence the commotion.

"Someone fetch me a chessboard," he called to the crowd, and they did as he wanted, running into their homes to search for a chessboard. Once the Chessboard was set in front of them he moved his pawn. "I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?" he asked before waving his hand in an indication she should go. Humming out in thought Bilbo looked at the board, moved her piece, and answered.

"An Echo."

And so the game began, back and forth, riddles and answers, until finally, Bilbo called out checkmate. Startled the Thain looked back down to the board. At first, he didn't see it, until he realized that indeed, her queen was set to kill his king. Quickly he sacrificed his pieces accordingly so the game could continue. But soon he discovered that he was backed into a corner with no way out, every time he tried to lead her pieces into a trap, she had her own trap set. Every time she called out checkmate he lost more and more, until finally he only had his king on the board, all his pieces collected neatly beside his granddaughter with absolutely no way to win.

There were only three people who had beaten him at chess in his long life, though never with such a resounding loss. His father, who had taught him how to play, his wife, which was the reason he fell head over heels for her, and Bungo Baggins as a final resort to gain his blessing for Belladonna's hand in marriage (even though he would have married her anyways). Perhaps he was wrong to have assumed that he knew what was best for her, perhaps she truly knew and understood what claiming the title and responsibility of Baggins meant despite her young age. At least, it was something to consider seriously. Nodding to himself the Thain stood up.

"Bilbo Fay Baggins Passed the second trial, Once again we will commence the last trial here at dawn tomorrow, Those who do not feel satisfied in the second trial may engage in a game of chess with the victor. However, win or lose, Bilbo's status as the victor will not change, though should you win, you will be considered for the Baggins title should she fail tomorrow." And with that, he hobbled away back to his Smial to speak with his wife about his potential discovery.

A truly ridiculous number of Hobbits lined up to play against Bilbo. Bilbo gave a long worn-out sigh, this was going to be a long day. She decided that she wasn't going to play nice like she had done with her grandfather, she was simply going to trounce them as quickly as possible. And she did just that, within minutes of setting the board, she would have her opponent trapped with no way to go. As soon as they realized what happened she would dismiss them with a wave of her hand and signal the next person. There were a lot of tantrums this way but Bilbo didn't particularly care, if anything it just gave her a glance into the worst part of their personality.

On and On it went, Bilbo was quickly bored with their efforts but at least she was gaining useful information on her opponents. She was meticulous in her approach, not only for the sake of time but to gauge her challengers, most of them were young and greedy, and she could see how they saw the Baggins name as an opportunity for land, wealth, and Bag End without truly understanding the responsibility of it. The ones who were not were "well-meaning" types, married with a family, and assumed her "too young" to know what she was doing, but she knew, she knew better than they did anyways.

Being a Baggins was about helping the Thain with maintaining the health and happiness of Hobbiton. Originally, the Thain was supposed to provide protection and security to the people living in the Shire, He was responsible for maintaining law and order within their territory. This included adjudicating disputes, dispensing justice, and ensuring that laws and regulations were upheld, he had a duty to manage the economic affairs of the Shire. This included overseeing agriculture, forestry, and other economic activities, as well as ensuring the prosperity and well-being of the community. He also served as a representative of their community in dealings with external authorities, such as the monarchy or government officials. They were expected to advocate for the interests of their people and ensure that their concerns were heard and addressed. But the Thain couldn't be everywhere so he split the tasks between the Heads of Names so they could report to him the health and prosperity of their community.

Every Head of Name was tasked with the expectation to provide for the welfare of their tenants and dependents. Including providing housing, food, healthcare, and other forms of support to those in need. While there were different names for the different territories of the shire, the ones for Hobbiton were The Bradybucks, who became responsible for maintaining law and order within their territory. The Tooks became responsible for providing protection and security. The Boffins became responsible for the representation of their community in their dealings with external authorities. While the Baggins became responsible for managing the economic affairs of Hobbiton. This included overseeing agriculture, forestry, and other economic activities, as well as ensuring the prosperity and well-being of the community.

And while most were just looking for that profit, the ones with good intentions. Only saw her as someone who recently lost her parents and needed comfort and protection, not looking to what the Baggins name would entail for them. Eventually, the day drew to a close and so did the game, not once, was she defeated. Granted there was a lot of conflict and screaming tantrums but Bilbo had done it, seemingly unruffled and now dubbed the checkmate cutthroat. Bilbo was exhausted, she dragged her weary body back to her home and immediately fell into a deep sleep as soon as she hit the pillows, too exhausted to even think what the next day would bring.


The next day, once again, the hobbits gathered. The Thain held up his hand to silence the murmuring of the crowd before turning to address Bilbo. "Bilbo Fay Baggins, this is your final test," he said before turning away from her to look behind his shoulder, at his nod, his wife, who had not shown up for the other two tests stepped forward with five children, The twins, Posco and Prisca, Drogo and his younger sister Dora, and a babe that must have been Dudo in her arms. "These are the children who still need a home Bilbo, if you pass this test they will be in your care. None of them have even spoken since they came into my care. Should you get them to speak by the end of the day you will pass and the Baggins Title will go to you." with that Bilbo's grandmother stepped forward to deposit the squirming babe into her arms. As Bilbo took the babe into her arms, she felt a surge of emotions wash over her. It was rage.

'Get them to speak? Get them to speak?! they aren't some puppets that you could command as you wish!'

"What did you say to me?" her grandfather's sharp voice cut through the air. Bilbo hadn't realized in her rage that she had spoken out loud. Too late to go back now though, she was angrier than she had ever been before in her life and she would be damned if she backed down now.

Quickly clutching the babe protectively to her breast and adjusting her body so she stood in front of the gathered wide-eyed children, she tore into her grandfather.

"How dare you," she spat, "These children are not mere objects for you to manipulate at your whim. They are human beings with feelings, emotions, and trauma that you cannot even begin to comprehend. You want me to make them speak?" Bilbo continued, her voice rising with each word. "Well, Here's my answer. No! No, I will not force them to do anything they are not ready for. I will not subject them to further trauma for the sake of some meaningless test! And I will certainly not stand by and watch as you use them as pawns in your power games! Quite frankly you disgust me! These children deserve love, care, and understanding," Bilbo declared, her voice trembling with the rage she felt. She could barely see at this point, the only thing that was holding her back from outright physical violence was the babe in her arms. "And if you cannot see that, then you have no right to call yourself their guardian, let alone dictate my worthiness to inherit the Baggins title. So if this is the ultimatum you have given me consider this me relinquishing the title of Baggins. But know this Grandfather, now as an orphan they stay with me." She hissed.

With that, Bilbo turned on her heel, cradled the babe protectively in her arms, gently gathered the four stunned children, and marched away from the gathered crowd back to Bag End.

"What just happened?" came the voice of Drogo Baggins as he was led to the house.

"Beats me," said Prisca

"It was awesome though" came from her twin Posco.

"Does this mean we live at Bag End now?" Dora asked shyly before they were ushered into Bag End and the door closed.

For an entire minute, nobody moved before the Thain bewildered voice broke the silence. "Well, she passed the test. Bilbo is now Master Baggins" He said scratching his head at the chewing out he received from his granddaughter who wasn't even of age, and probably only a third of his age. His wife broke out into snorting chortles before mayhem ensued.


It was the knocking on the door that snapped Bilbo out of her memories, and out of the mindless washing of her dishes. Now who could that be? It couldn't be Lobelia, she would just come right in. Perhaps it was Oleo Hornblower trying to apologize before he ended up on the wrong side of Lobelia, or perhaps because he ended up on the wrong side of Lobelia.

"I'm coming," Bilbo called when the knocking came again. But when she answered the door it was no Hobbit that stood there, It was a dwarf.

"I'm here to take you away on an adventure Master Baggins," he said cheerily, giving her a brilliant smile and a low bow.

"What?!"