***Quite obviously, none of the characters in this story are mine. It’s just a fun thing I made up on the inspiration of a friends story. All the characters and places belong to the master, J.R.R. Tolkien***

Frodo’s Arrival at Bag End

It was early in the morning, much earlier than you or I would wake up but, not entirely unusual for a hobbit, and a round green door opened at Bag End spilling yellow light across the front step.

“Beautiful day for a walk.” Bilbo thought, taking his favorite walking stick from its place by the door. He shut the door and was about to start on his walk when he spied a pair of big green eyes staring over the hedge dividing his front yard from the neighbours.

“Hullo Sam, you’re up early.” Bilbo smiled at the young hobbit.

“I’m helping my gaffer.” The young hobbit explained, “He says I’ll be the gardener someday.” Sam looked at Bilbo’s walking stick. “Are you going to go away again Mr. Bilbo sir?”

“Not at all my dear Samwise. I’m just going for one more stroll before my nephew arrives. I shall be back shortly before afternoon tea. Now run along, if you’re done your chores in time perhaps you can join us for tea this afternoon and I’ll tell you another story.” Bilbo smiled to himself as Sam ran back into his house to get an early start on his chores. There weren’t many hobbits in the shire as fond of his stories as Sam, and Bilbo thoroughly enjoyed talking to the young lad, he had even started teaching the boy to read.

¤ ¤ ¤ later that afternoon ¤ ¤ ¤

Sometime before afternoon tea Frodo arrived at Bag End to find a young, rolly polly hobbit sitting on the front stoop of his uncle’s home.

“Hullo there.” Frodo said as he entered the gate and set his bag on the ground.

“Hullo, you must be Mr. Frodo.” Frodo nodded and the young hobbit stood up quick to shake his hand. “Mr. Bilbo said you were coming and that he’d be back before tea but, I haven’t seen him come back yet. I thought I heard a door close earlier but I was sitting right over there,” The young hobbit pointed towards a small garden plot in the corner of Bilbo’s yard,” and I didn’t see anything.”

“That’s quite alright… um…” Frodo looked questioningly at the hobbit.

“Oh! Silly me I almost forgot.” The hobbit held his had out to Frodo again, “Samwise Gamgee at your service, most call me Sam.”

“Nice to meet you Sam. Shall we go inside and wait for Bilbo to return.” Frodo opened the door and entered the cozy hobbit-hole, Sam following close behind. He closed the door and just as he turned around they heard a rattle of pots and pans from the kitchen.

“Is that you Frodo my Lad!” Bilbo called from somewhere back in the house.

“Yes uncle, it’s me!” Frodo called and looked at Sam. The look of surprise on Sam’s face caused Frodo to start laughing,” And I’ve brought a guest for tea.”

Just then Bilbo came in to the room. “Ah Sam, I was wondering if you were going to make it. Good to see you got your chores done. Well, now, Frodo, you must be tired from your journey.” Bilbo looked Frodo’s solitary bag, “Is that all you brought?”

“The rest of my things are arriving tomorrow. I decided to walk today.”

“Okay…good…tea… right! Come, come before it gets cold.” Bilbo went to the dining room, Frodo and Sam following close behind.

“Excuse me for asking Mr. Bilbo, sir, but when did you get back from your walk?” Sam asked as he sat and began to pile his plate with cakes and cookies.

“Less than an hour ago. I saw you sitting there, you must have been daydreaming.” Bilbo smiled at Sam and when Sam wasn’t looking Bilbo winked at Frodo who smiled back.

That afternoon Bilbo told the story of when he and his dwarf companions were captured by the elves in Mirkwood Forest. Sam hung on every word, fascinated by Bilbo’s adventure and asking all sorts of questions about the Elvin king, Thranduil, his son, Legolas, and the rest of the Elvin court. Sam thought that Bilbo was an awfully good sneak to be able to creep around the elves without being spotted. The story carried on well into the evening and continued right through supper until Sam’s mother could be heard outside calling him home.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

The next day Frodo decided to go out and explore his new surroundings and so, just after lunch, he set out while Bilbo was working on something in his study.

He reached the gate and swung it open just as Sam rushed in and crouched low behind the hedge.

“Sam, what–“Frodo was about to ask Sam what he was doing but before he could finish Sam motioned for him to be quiet. A bit confused Frodo looked down the road to see a young girl of about five or six heading their way.

“Good afternoon.” Frodo said as the young hobbit approached them. She was cute little girl with a head full of golden curls. She was carrying something wrapped in green cloth.

“Good afternoon. Are you mister Frodo?” The young girl asked.

Frodo looked to Sam briefly and saw him trying to sink into the ground. “Yes, I am Frodo.” He smiled at the girl.

“My name’s Rosie Cotton and my mother baked this cake for you this morning.” Rosie handed over the green bundle and did a little curtsy, “Welcome to Hobbiton.”

“Thank you very much Rosie, and tell you mother thank you. Perhaps I’ll share it with Sam. Have you seen him anywhere?” As Frodo asked he glanced down at Sam and saw him cringe and cover his eyes.

“No I haven’t seen him all day. You can tell him I helped make the cake when you see him though.” Rosie seemed to get a little sparkle in her eye as she skipped away down the lane. Once the sound of her footsteps faded away Sam peeked between his fingers.

“Is she gone?” he whispered.

“Yes, yes, now what was that about?” Frodo laughed.

Sam stood up and looked down the road after Rosie, “She’s beautiful isn’t she?” He said, ignoring Frodo’s question but, Frodo didn’t need an explanation, he figured he understood already.

“You know Sam; you’ll have to talk to her one day.”

“I know,” Sam said, a slight look of fear passing over his face,” Do you–”

“Hullo!” A young hobbit popped up in front of them.

“Hullo Merry! Where’s your father?” Frodo asked, greeting his kinsman.

“He’s coming, I came ahead to make sure you were home. Hello, I’m Meriadoc Brandybuck.” Merry extended his hand to Sam, “Just call me Merry.

“Samwise Gamgee.” Sam shook Merry’s hand nervously. He’d heard some strange tales about the Brandybucks.

“Is that cake?” Merry asked eyeing the package in Frodo’s hand.

“It is. Come on both of you, there’s no sense going for a walk now.” Frodo sat on the front step and passed some cake to Merry and Sam while he asked for any news from home.

“Well, Eglantine Took is gonna have a baby. She says it’s gonna be a boy and if it is she’s gonna name him Peregrin. I’ve already decided I’ll just call him Pippin.” Merry kept talking and telling how he discovered a new way to get to the mushrooms of Farmer Maggots crop and how he had nearly fallen out of his boat when he had caught a rather large fish the last weekend. “It’s a good thing I was near the shore or I would have lost my boat.” Merry said calmly as he munched on his cake.

“I shouldn’t think I’ll ever get in a boat.” Sam said, “There isn’t enough cake in The Shire to coax me into one.”

“Its not so bad, it’s the best way to fish really.” Merry said matter-of-factly.

“Hullo up there!” A voice called and Frodo looked up to see Saradoc Brandybuck pull up in a wagon with Frodo’s things from Brandy Hall.

Sam and Merry helped unload the luggage and after Frodo said goodbye to Merry and his father Sam returned home for tea and Frodo spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking his things and organizing his room.

*** The End ***