China Roses
Chapter 1
Puddles
"Hurry up, Frodo.you're going to catch your death of a cold!" Primula Baggins stood at the doorway of Bag-End as she watched her ten-year-old son splashing in the puddles, leftover from the morning shower. Primula, her husband Drogo and Frodo were spending the week in the home of their cousin Bilbo Baggins. The reason: Bilbo had just turned 88 and had a spectacular party filled with food, games and dancing. Over 300 hobbits were invited as well. "Come along inside, dear."
"Aw! Do I have to, Mama?" Frodo asked as he stopped his playful romping.
"Yes, sweetheart. Uncle Bilbo is making us a wonderful lunch."
At the sound of "Lunch", Frodo immediately made to hurry inside but Primula stopped him. "Half a minute." She quickly hurried to get a towel from the bathroom and came out to wipe off Frodo's feet.
"There is my little lad!"
Frodo's lips broke into a smile as he saw Bilbo approach them. When Primula finished wiping Frodo's feet, she looked up at Bilbo with a small shake of her head. "He'll be a pistol when he gets older." She teased.
"What's a pistol?" asked Frodo as he followed his relatives into Bilbo's large kitchen, where Drogo sat smoking one of his beloved pipes.
"Never you mind." Primula ruffled her son's hair causing him to giggle and then hoisted him into his chair at the table. "It looks delicious, Bilbo. Absolutely wonderful."
Bilbo smiled. For nearly 30 years the old hobbit had been a wonder of the Shire. When he was fifty years old, he disappeared on a great adventure with the traveling wizard Gandalf and a band of thirteen dwarves. No one had expected Bilbo to return but he did and much to the shock of everyone he did.and was filthy rich!
"Thank you for letting us spend the week at Bag-End, Bilbo." Said Drogo as he took a spoonful of mushroom soup.
"You know that you are always welcome here, Drogo." Bilbo replied, smiling as his little nephew wolfed down his lunch. "Well aren't WE hungry this afternoon?" he laughed after Frodo let out a small burp and drowned his glass of milk.
"Frodo!" Primula gasped once Frodo set the cup down.
" 'Scuse me." Frodo said quietly. "What is for desert?"
Drogo let out a hearty laugh. "He is quite the hobbit, isn't he, Bilbo?"
Bilbo gave Frodo a good glance up and down. "A bit on the thin side, don't you think?"
Primula sighed as she finished the last of her mushroom soup. "An unfortuante trate on my side of the family. We were hoping he would grow out of that."
"Can I hear a story Uncle Bilbo?" Frodo asked, climbing down from the chair. Almost immediately he hurried over to his Uncle and proceeded to climb up onto the older hobbit's lap, but was unsuccessful.
"Oops!" said Bilbo watching Frodo tumble to the ground and immediately helped him back up. "In a little while, my boy. Your Uncle Bilbo needs to finish eating and then he has dishes to do."
Frodo frowned in disappointment but he did not say another word. Bilbo fascinated the young lad and Frodo always looked forward to visits at Bag-End. The old hobbit had many stories to tell and plenty of treats, and sometimes Frodo often wished that he lived here instead of at Brandy Hall in Buckland. For quite some time neither of the hobbits spoke and the only sounds that could be heard were the birds chirping outside, and the clippers of Hamfast Gamgee: the gardener for Bag-End.
"So tell me, Bilbo.didn't you just LOVE Esmerelda's new dress? She made it herself."
Bilbo nodded. "She looked wonderful. I am surprised that they did not want to stay at Bag-End."
Primula shrugged. "Yes. Well you know.they have a lot to take care of at Brandy Hall, what with so many hobbits to look after."
"Yes well." Bilbo kissed Frodo on top of the head. "Can you hop down for a bit lad? I have to get started on these dishes."
"Let me give you a hand," began Primula.
"Nonsense.the three of you are guests. Go and relax in the parlor and I'll be out in a few minutes."
"Well.if you're sure," Primula added frowning.
"Go on." Bilbo shoed them away. It always pleased him to have his family around, as he was not married. Out of all of his family members he adored Drogo, Primula and especially Frodo the most. They were always very pleasant company. "I don't mind being alone," Bilbo said quietly to no one in particular. "But not all the time." He sighed and turned back to his chores, placing all other thoughts out of his head and paying attention only to the pots, pans and soap bubbles.
Chapter 1
Puddles
"Hurry up, Frodo.you're going to catch your death of a cold!" Primula Baggins stood at the doorway of Bag-End as she watched her ten-year-old son splashing in the puddles, leftover from the morning shower. Primula, her husband Drogo and Frodo were spending the week in the home of their cousin Bilbo Baggins. The reason: Bilbo had just turned 88 and had a spectacular party filled with food, games and dancing. Over 300 hobbits were invited as well. "Come along inside, dear."
"Aw! Do I have to, Mama?" Frodo asked as he stopped his playful romping.
"Yes, sweetheart. Uncle Bilbo is making us a wonderful lunch."
At the sound of "Lunch", Frodo immediately made to hurry inside but Primula stopped him. "Half a minute." She quickly hurried to get a towel from the bathroom and came out to wipe off Frodo's feet.
"There is my little lad!"
Frodo's lips broke into a smile as he saw Bilbo approach them. When Primula finished wiping Frodo's feet, she looked up at Bilbo with a small shake of her head. "He'll be a pistol when he gets older." She teased.
"What's a pistol?" asked Frodo as he followed his relatives into Bilbo's large kitchen, where Drogo sat smoking one of his beloved pipes.
"Never you mind." Primula ruffled her son's hair causing him to giggle and then hoisted him into his chair at the table. "It looks delicious, Bilbo. Absolutely wonderful."
Bilbo smiled. For nearly 30 years the old hobbit had been a wonder of the Shire. When he was fifty years old, he disappeared on a great adventure with the traveling wizard Gandalf and a band of thirteen dwarves. No one had expected Bilbo to return but he did and much to the shock of everyone he did.and was filthy rich!
"Thank you for letting us spend the week at Bag-End, Bilbo." Said Drogo as he took a spoonful of mushroom soup.
"You know that you are always welcome here, Drogo." Bilbo replied, smiling as his little nephew wolfed down his lunch. "Well aren't WE hungry this afternoon?" he laughed after Frodo let out a small burp and drowned his glass of milk.
"Frodo!" Primula gasped once Frodo set the cup down.
" 'Scuse me." Frodo said quietly. "What is for desert?"
Drogo let out a hearty laugh. "He is quite the hobbit, isn't he, Bilbo?"
Bilbo gave Frodo a good glance up and down. "A bit on the thin side, don't you think?"
Primula sighed as she finished the last of her mushroom soup. "An unfortuante trate on my side of the family. We were hoping he would grow out of that."
"Can I hear a story Uncle Bilbo?" Frodo asked, climbing down from the chair. Almost immediately he hurried over to his Uncle and proceeded to climb up onto the older hobbit's lap, but was unsuccessful.
"Oops!" said Bilbo watching Frodo tumble to the ground and immediately helped him back up. "In a little while, my boy. Your Uncle Bilbo needs to finish eating and then he has dishes to do."
Frodo frowned in disappointment but he did not say another word. Bilbo fascinated the young lad and Frodo always looked forward to visits at Bag-End. The old hobbit had many stories to tell and plenty of treats, and sometimes Frodo often wished that he lived here instead of at Brandy Hall in Buckland. For quite some time neither of the hobbits spoke and the only sounds that could be heard were the birds chirping outside, and the clippers of Hamfast Gamgee: the gardener for Bag-End.
"So tell me, Bilbo.didn't you just LOVE Esmerelda's new dress? She made it herself."
Bilbo nodded. "She looked wonderful. I am surprised that they did not want to stay at Bag-End."
Primula shrugged. "Yes. Well you know.they have a lot to take care of at Brandy Hall, what with so many hobbits to look after."
"Yes well." Bilbo kissed Frodo on top of the head. "Can you hop down for a bit lad? I have to get started on these dishes."
"Let me give you a hand," began Primula.
"Nonsense.the three of you are guests. Go and relax in the parlor and I'll be out in a few minutes."
"Well.if you're sure," Primula added frowning.
"Go on." Bilbo shoed them away. It always pleased him to have his family around, as he was not married. Out of all of his family members he adored Drogo, Primula and especially Frodo the most. They were always very pleasant company. "I don't mind being alone," Bilbo said quietly to no one in particular. "But not all the time." He sighed and turned back to his chores, placing all other thoughts out of his head and paying attention only to the pots, pans and soap bubbles.